


Paper Planes

by zerostumbleine33



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Angst, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Minor Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-31
Updated: 2014-10-31
Packaged: 2018-02-23 10:31:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 69,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2544287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zerostumbleine33/pseuds/zerostumbleine33
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Far into the future, long after the third world war decimated the earth, there existed two groups of people. On the ground lived the less fortunate, seemingly forgotten by time. Their water and food resources were limited and controlled by the government. High above the ring of pollution and radiation lived the colonies, populated by the elite and those skilled enough to be granted admittance to the military. Dean is 21, a water delivery pilot for the military, who also grew up on Terra. After he returns home for the first time in three years to his hometown in Kansas, he is met by his childhood friend Cas, who he left behind all those years ago. As Dean and Cas fight to find their footing with one another despite the distance between them, Sam uncovers a government secret that will throw the whole world into chaos. Soon, they must all work together to preserve the life they know and fight for a better one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Mission One

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much to my betas, ssjdebusk, dudewheresmypie, and goshcas
> 
> Also, thank you Ali for my fantastic art as well! I am beyond ecstatic that you picked my story and then went above and beyond by beta-ing as well.

_“It’s a beautiful thing, the destruction of words.”_

_-George Orwell, 1984_

**Chapter 1: Mission One**

Dean grabbed an extra wrench from the old wooden tool box Bobby had left on the front porch. He lingered a moment, caught in a memory. It had been years since he’d last sat with his father, listening intently as he calmly explained how to use each tool. He’d watched as his large hands held each tool securely and the knowledge flowed from his mind to Dean’s. It had seemed he held a vast pool of information; but that was when the house had smelled of apple pies and flowers.

Dean shook his head, discarding the thoughts of his mother and his long-absent father. He ran his fingers over the cool metal of the wrench, feeling the weight of such a large tool in his small hands. Carefully, he placed it in the pocket of his overalls as he ran towards the large barn behind the house. The field of yellow grass spread for miles, unused and undisturbed. The solitary red barn in the distance loomed against the backdrop of an empty field, the paint chipped and old; neglected for decades.

As Dean reached the barn, he wiped his bangs away from his forehead, slightly damp with sweat. The sun above let down a sweltering head, which in combination with the brown clouds, created a humidity that made summer days nearly unbearable. A wide grin spread across the 9-year olds face as he saw a familiar figures sitting on top of a work bench, doodling into a spiral.

“Hey, Cas, you beat me here again,” Dean said with a laugh as he walked towards the old table his friend was sitting atop.

The other boy laughed and shrugged his shoulders before proudly turning his spiral to face Dean. His dark blue eyes widened with excitement as a large grin spread quickly across Dean’s face. His green eyes met blue, and Dean laughed at his anxious expression. They had known each other only a year but had quickly become best friends.

“I found some books on planes in Zach’s study and tried to copy them,” he said as he watched Dean take a few steps closer to inspect the drawings. Dean chewed on his bottom lip slightly in contemplation.

“I know it isn’t perfect or anything, but it’s an idea,” Cas whispered, unsure of Dean’s reaction.

“Cas, this is the coolest idea ever!” Dean exclaimed. “I mean, you can do the math for it, right? And I’m sure Sammy could help with that too.”

Cas nodded enthusiastically as he looked around the barn once more. “We’ll have enough room right? It would only be a two-seater”.

Dean walked around the length of the barn slowly, taking his time to process the minute details of locations and dimensions. The wall to the right held shelves and a work bench; all empty besides a few of the tools they had begun to stash here. A few large wooden crates were stacked up along the corners; remnants of old supply deliveries.

There was another workbench pushed against the back wall of the barn, horizontally, and covered in a thin muslin cloth. Cas was sitting on the bench, his legs dangling off the front. The space was empty but could easily be filled with what tools they would need.

Cas watched as Dean walked around, setting his mind to the task. Dean pushed his bangs away from his forehead again and blew them upwards as he walked back and hopping up to sit on the bench next to Cas.

“We could be just like those guys who bring the water down from the sky,” Dean said with excitement as he gazed at the notebook full of designs for a two-seater bi-plane.

Cas nodded, his dark hair damp with sweat, despite being indoors. “Do you think Bobby would mind?”

“Cas, he’s going to love this,” Dean said with a smile as he pat his friend on the shoulder.

The sun filtered through slits in the walls of the old wood barn and illuminated Cas’ eyes, shining a radiant blue that rivaled the rarely seen blue of the sky above. Dean smiled as he reached his hand up to tousle Cas’ brown hair, the moment turning more tender than expected.

 

*****

 

Dean woke with a start, his breathing ragged, as his mind dared to hold onto the last image for a moment longer. He ran his hands through his hair and took a deep breath, as he thought about the memory that had turned into a recurring dream, and then turned into something else entirely in his unconscious mind.

“Nervous about tomorrow?” Sam asked from across the room, flicking on the lamp next to his bed.

“Shouldn’t you be sleeping?” Dean responded, although secretly grateful for the distraction.

Sam shrugged his shoulders, holding back a yawn. “I have a late class tomorrow anyway. I was hoping I could see you off.”

Dean sat back in his bed, crossing his arms behind his head. “That would be cool, Sammy.”

“Excited to see Bobby?” Sam asked, avoiding the obvious question that had hung in the air for the last year.

“Of course,” Dean replied, with a forced grin. He ran his hands over the dog tags on his chest as he looked around the room. “He’d hate it here, man. These metal walls and the cold metal floor. Doesn’t quite feel like home still.”

“I don’t mind it so much. At least the water is clean and there’s actual vegetables,” Sam replied.

Dean raised his eyebrows, taking in the stark contrast in the decoration of their shared military dorm. Dean’s side had a few posters, a photo or two of his family, and his framed graduation diploma. Whereas Sam’s bunk was bare, slightly messy with assortments of clothing and cartons of food rations, but it lacked any personalized touches. Sam had once told him that he’d leave his signature elsewhere-like the designs for whatever he was supposed to make as a junior engineer.

“I’m gonna try to sleep again. I’ll see you in the morning,” Dean said, lying back against his pillow as Sam shut the light off. His hands stroked the dog tags on his chest; a reminder of his job, the oath he took, and his training. Running through the procedure in his mind as he closed his eyes, he did all he could to keep the image of his old friend from creeping back into his unconsciousness.

 

*****

`

Only a few hours later, Dean was out in the hangar bay, his uniform ironed and his flight gear prepared. His flight partner and navigator, Charlie lined up next to him as the loudspeaker announced the time.

“O-eight-hundred.”

“Repeat, O-eight-hundred hours.”

“You’re looking sharp today, Winchester,” Charlie said with a wink, adjusting her own uniform and smoothing down her bright red hair.

Dean grinned, pretending to give her a once-over. Not that she didn’t look great, but Charlie had somehow become like a sister to him. Catching his eye, Charlie smacked his arm gently.

“Hey, I got up at six to iron this, don’t wrinkle it,” he whined.

“Well lucky for you, the men’s uniform actually includes _pants_ ,” she said with exasperation, tugging at the hem of her short white skirt.

Dean nodded, ready to reply with an offhand comment that would surely earn him another slap from Charlie, but stopped as he noticed the rest of his squad drop silent. The clicking of heels became the only sound throughout the hangar, and Dean stood a bit straighter, adjusting the navy blue coat and black belt around his waist.

The rest of his squad had fallen in line quickly: Bela, Kevin, Benny, and Amy. They had all graduated from flight school with top marks in their respective fields, as either pilots or navigators. Each plane contained one of each, a pilot and a navigator.

Dean had been lucky, Charlie had been his assigned partner and he didn’t need to call in lots of favors to get paired with her. He’d been relieved that at least he’d never be paired with Bela since she was a pilot as well. This was their first mission, squad alpha, and Dean began to sweat with anticipation.

Their Captain, Naomi, was strict and expected them to follow orders directly and immediately without question. While Dean had been lucky to be assigned with Charlie, Naomi was known for not putting up with any nonsense; not that Dean planned to get into trouble or anything but the option was completely off the table with her as his superior.

She stopped in front of each lieutenant, checking their uniforms with a keen eye. As she made her way down the line, she nodded her approval at Bela, frowned at Benny, and picked a stray piece of lint from the shoulder of Kevin’s coat. Dean heard Charlie inhale as Naomi stopped in front of her.

“Are those leggings military approved?”

“Yes, sir, military issue,” Charlie replied, her eyes straight ahead.

“Smart. The military issue female navigator uniforms are illogical,” Naomi said with a tight smile.

The captain stopped in front of Dean, and raised one eyebrow slightly but did not say a word before turning and returning to stand at the front of her squadron once again.

“At ease, Squad Alpha. All flight paths have been checked, and I presume the hangar crew has run maintenance on your birds?” The Captain asked, tapping her foot impatiently.

When she didn’t receive an immediately response, she sighed in exasperation, “The proper response to a question is ‘Yes, sir’ or ‘No, sir’, Squad Alpha. Remember it,” she remarked. Catching the eye of the chief crewman, she put her finger in the air and spun it around to ask him if they were clear for flight.

Scrambling towards her, he handed her a clipboard with several pieces of paper on it which she flipped through quickly.

“Talbot and Tran, your plane needs a new gimbal before you can fly and hope to find where you’re going. The rest of you, prepare for flight.”

Dean exhaled the breath he had been holding the whole time and turned to meet Charlie with a high-five.

“You’ve got a visitor,” she said, her wide grin giving away his brother’s presence on the hangar.

Dean turned his head, immediately spotting his younger brother with his mop of hair, waving from the platform ahead. Dean gave him a false salute, which Sam rolled his eyes about. Dean then gave him a thumbs up as he wished that Sam was allowed closer than just the inside platform of the hangar.

“You’re lucky to have a brother, Dean. I wish I had siblings,” Charlie said, strapping her flight gear around her chest, over her freshly pressed navy jacket and pristine white belt.

Dean nodded, his own chest a bit tight with the prospect of saying goodbye to his brother here and hello to people back home that he hadn’t seen for three years. He ignored the one face that kept popping into his mind, and the emotion that threatened to bubble up with it.

As the deck crew loaded the cargo, Charlie turned to look quizzically at Dean. “We can hold twice that amount of cargo, is this all we’re taking down? Seems like a waste of fuel.”

Dean walked around to the back of the plane, his brows furrowed in thought. “Maybe they’re going easy on us? First trip and all.”

Charlie shook her head and shrugged her shoulders, “Who knows? Not something to worry about right now, I guess.”

Dean watched her climb into the back seat of the small bi-plane, securing her goggles over her eyes. He ran his hands along the smooth white metal of the plane, allowing it to calm him before he took his seat at the front of the plane. He paused briefly, his fingers tracing the small raised insignia on the tail of the plane: Tron Industries, the makers of nearly everything in Celsphere. His fingers curved briefly around the wings on the insignia, and the halo dotting the “I”.

He waited until a crewman gave him a thumbs up before he hopped in and started his engine—the propellers spinning loudly as the dashboard hummed to life. The familiar “Celestial Sphere” logo appeared, a globe turning several times before revealing his pilot controls.

After his own goggles were secured, he moved to the next item on his mental checklist: check the com system. “Help me, Charlie Bradbury, you’re my only hope.”

He grinned as he heard her groan through his headphones. “That’s the line you pick? You’re so lame, Winchester.”

Dean took a deep breath, allowing the excitement to replace his fear. He’d flown plenty of times, his uniform held a few extra pins from his achievements in flight school, but the whole thing just became real. He had a real job, an important one at that; one he’d dreamt of since childhood. As his plane began to move down the runway, his hands gripped the steering wheel a bit tighter, preparing for the fall.

 

*****

 

It didn’t take them long to get comfortable. Charlie had let out an excited yell when the plane first lifted off and then was sent into a nosedive towards Terra, while Dean had swallowed his breakfast a few times over but kept perfect control. He’d mastered flying, but his gut reaction at the steep fall was always one of fear.

At a steady decline, Dean enjoyed the air whipping around them, at least before they hit the level of pollution and needed to pull the shield up.

“We’re going to your hometown right?” Charlie asked, her navigation equipment beeping quietly and steadily. “Somewhere in Kansas?”

“Lawrence, Kansas.”

“Anyone you’re going to see? I mean, I know we’re not there for long but it’s where you grew up.”

Dean’s lips tightened into a small line, “No. Maybe my uncle, Bobby. That’s it.”

“I’ve never been to Terra, so I’m pumped.”

Dean laughed, a gross obnoxious laugh. “Most people want to get off Terra. It’s dirty, polluted, and rations suck. Trust me, you won’t want to stay.”

“Jeez, okay, topic change, I get it,” Charlie said, rolling her eyes at the damper to her excitement. “Have you thought of a call-sign?”

“A what?”

“A call-sign, the nickname that goes on the side of your plane. For me, I was thinking…firecracker?”

“Firecracker?” Dean asked, unamused.

Charlie sighed, “You know, the red hair, fiery personality. Also, my last name Bradbury…it’s like that guy who wrote the book about burning banned books. _Fire_ cracker.”

“Never heard of it.”

“It’s a banned book. I don’t suppose you would have.”

With a laugh, Dean allowed a smile to slowly return to his face. “Sorry, I didn’t grow up on fancy Celsphere where any banned material was a click away.”

“Excuse me, a little more respect for my hacking skills,” Charlie said with a laugh. She checked her navigation instrument once again, instructing Dean to go slightly to the right. “Don’t want to end up in NOT-Kansas. At least not on our first mission.”

“I see clouds up ahead, Charlie.”

“Roger that, shield going up in five.”


	2. Home Sweet Home

Dean held two toy soldiers, one in each hand as he mimicked the sound of rifles firing. Next to him, his younger brother flipped through a picture book, laughing as he turned to watch his brother.

Dean rolled his toy tanker across the rug covering the old wooden floor of Bobby’s place. On the couch, Bobby flicked through stations on an old radio he’d been fixing. The old television quietly played a static broadcast, one of only two channels on Terra. Bobby hated the channel that consisted of a blue screen with scrolling letters that reminded the citizens of the government regulations. Instead, Bobby opted for the weather channel, however inaccurate it was.

“Pew, pew,” Dean said, mimicking gun shots as he knocked over his army men in a row and made accompanying sound effects to his brothers amusement.

The knock at the door startled them and Dean jumped to his feet, dropping his army men. His wide green eyes looked up at Bobby as he whispered, “Is that my dad?” before he took off running towards the front door.

“Hold up, Dean, wait just one darn minute before you go openin’ doors to strangers,” Bobby called, grabbing his hat off the sidearm of the couch.

He arrived at the door too late, finding it open as Dean walked back towards him with his shoulders hunched downwards. “It’s not my dad,” he said with a mumble.

Bobby grabbed his shirt collar and pulled Dean back towards him. “It may not be your daddy, kid, but you need to learn some manners when you open the door.”

Bobby looked back towards the door, surprised to see a sharply dressed older man, and a boy who looked around eight years old; the same age as Dean, hiding behind him. “I take it you’re not from around here,” Bobby said, opening his door wider.

The other man thrust out his hand, “Name’s Zachariah. I’m here to talk business.”

“Hey Dean, why don’t you grab your brother,” he looked towards the small child hiding behind Zachariah, “you can come play with-?”

“Castiel,” Zachariah said, pulling the boy in front of him.

Dean nodded his head and went to get Sammy, looking behind him for a moment at the strange boy with a mop of messy dark hair and round blue eyes.

Bobby ushered the three boys outside, running his hands through Dean’s hair as he walked by.

Dean sat down on the old white swing on the front of the porch. An old nail dug into his leg and the paint chipped off in flakes if he moved around too much. He looked back at the other boy standing awkwardly in front of him with his eyes on the floor.

“I’m Dean,” he offered with a small smile. The other boy looked up, narrowing his eyes.

“I’m Castiel.”

“That’s my little brother Sammy,” Dean said, pointing towards his brother who had found himself one of Dean’s toy trucks in the front yard. Dean looked back down at the swing and the empty spot next to him. “You can sit here, if you want,” he offered.

The other boy smiled and looked up, “Thanks,” he said as he took a seat, swinging his feet gently.

“What does your dad want with my uncle?” Dean asked, suddenly curious to know everything about Castiel.

“Oh, that’s not my dad. That’s my uncle.”

“Where’d your dad go?” Dean asked, his voice quiet.

“Only if you tell me where yours went,” the other boy responded.

Dean smiled softly, holding back his own disappointment. “I thought that was him at the door,” he said, jutting his bottom lip out slightly. “Uncle Bobby won’t tell me when he’s coming back. I think he went to go live up there,” Dean said, pointing his finger towards the dark shape in the sky.

“That’s where my uncle is from,” Castiel said. “But he had to move down here, so he’s mad about it,” he pauses for a moment, lowering his voice, “And he had to take me in, and I think he’s mad about that too.”

Dean looked over at Castiel, suddenly sad. “What about your mom and dad?”

Castiel shrugged, swinging his feet more beneath the old swing. “I never knew them.”

“Are you from that city in the sky too? Like your uncle?” Dean asked, his eyes gazing back towards the shape hidden far above the brown clouds.

Cas laughed lightly, a small chuckle that turned into a small cough. “No. I’ve lived on Terra as long as I can remember.”

Dean nodded his head, although a million other questions circled his mind about this new boy. He kicked his legs faster, in tandem with Castiel’s, making the old swing creak and groan beneath them.

“At least you have your brother,” Castiel said, smiling at Sam. “I don’t have anyone else.”

Dean frowned slightly, not knowing what he would do if he didn’t have his brother. Before he could respond, the swing beneath them gave way as the rusted old chains snapped and the seat fell to the floor with a thud. Dean closed his eyes and threw his hands over his head as the wooden beam at the top began to fall. He slowly cracked open one eye to see the other boy holding the beam in his arms with a grin.

“I caught it,” Castiel said.

“Wow, Cas, that was awesome,” Dean exclaimed as he jumped up to help his new friend put the wooden beam down. “You’re like Superman or something!”

Castiel furrowed his brow in confusion, “Superman?”

A wide grin crossed Dean’s face and he momentarily forgot all about his disappointment in not seeing his father. “Oh, man, I need to show you my comic books. Maybe your uncle will let you come by again?”

Cas nodded, a smile crossing his face again, lighting up his entire demeanor. “I’d like that, Dean.”

 

*****

 

Dean landed the plane perfectly, in a manner that would have earned him top marks in his class. The runway was short, blacktop cracked and worn along the sides but it did its job. Charlie shut off her controls behind him and Dean could hear her begin her checklist of landing procedures. He did the same, checking his controls as he pulled into the small hangar of his hometown.

He glanced up at the familiar brown sky above, inhaling slowing as he pulled his goggles down from his eyes. Charlie removed the shield around them and Dean turned around in his seat to give her a thumbs up; mission complete. He checked his stun gun in the holster around his waist, frowning slightly at it.

“Here, don’t forget your armband,” Charlie said as she handed him a small square of red cloth.

“Thanks,” Dean replied, fastening the band around his bicep. He ran his hands along the clean fabric and patched water insignia. “Welcome to Terra, Charlie.”

He ran through his flight procedures once more in his head before he hopped out of the plane, following Charlie. Anticipation hung heavy in his chest, and a little more fear than he’d have liked to admit. He’d been gone three years, no communication with anyone from back home. He ran a hand through his hair and straightened his uniform as a figure approached from the distance. Dean didn’t need to squint for long as a familiar face greeted him with a wide smile and hug.

“Dean Winchester! I’d heard rumors that it might be you.”

“It’s great to see you Officer Mills,” he said, his eyes taking in her brown cropped hair to her chin. She still looked young, minus the dark circles under her eyes.

“It’s Sheriff now, boy,” she said, flashing him the gold fabric on her arm.

“So they puttin’ out all the stops now? Sending the Sheriff to greet the water delivery bus?”

She laughed, a little higher pitched and worn than he remembered. “Something like that,” she said, glancing over at Charlie.

“Charlie Bradbury,” she said, bringing her hand to her head in a salute.

“No need for such formality,” Jody said with a grin. She glanced back at Dean and gripped his shoulder, giving him a gentle squeeze. “Bobby’s gonna be mighty glad to see you.”

Dean simply nodded, his gaze focused on a figure across the tarmac, distorted in the blistering sun like a mirage. Dean would recognize that hunch of shoulders anywhere and the hair, dark and messy, although longer than last time he saw him.

Even from behind, Dean could tell he’d filled out and no longer looked like the scrawny teen he’d been three years ago. His white cotton shirt was rolled up to his elbows and he easily lifted a large box up to balance on his shoulder. His tan pants looked loose and natural on him, suspender straps hanging down around his knees.

Dean turned his attention back to Jody as she handed him a clipboard, breaking his concentration. He scanned the paper in front of him, quickly checking the amount of supplies he carried and handed it to Charlie to sign as well while a few guys walked up to them to help unload the plane.

Dean moved to help begin unloading the plane before Jody stopped him. “Let the crew get that. I’m sure there’s people you want to see,” she said, her eyes flitting briefly towards the man Dean had been staring at.

Dean coughed awkwardly as he glanced over at Charlie. “Yeah, I’d uh, love to take a trip up to see Bobby,” intentionally forcing himself to _not_ glance over at the man he’d once known.

He wrapped an arm around Charlie’s shoulders as he followed Jody inside the water storage facility, his eyes glancing around the old building. He pointed towards a building a few hundred meters away from the hangar, “That’s the food storage warehouse,” he told Charlie.

Charlie gaze around at everything, her eyes wide with curiosity. He could tell she itched to ask a million questions as she tied her hair back in a loose ponytail.

“So the food is all grown here?” she asked, addressing both Jody and Dean.

“Some of it is, but a lot is shipped here from other towns. Not much grows easily on Terra,” Jody explained.

“Most of it tastes like shit,” Dean said dryly.

Jody glanced at him, her eyes narrowed. “You weren’t complaining a few years ago when you ate double your rations.”

Dean shrugged and give her a small apologetic smile, “Growing boy, Jody.”

“Well don’t let Bobby hear you talk like that, he’ll smack you upside the head,” Jody said as she led them through the doors to an office.

Charlie glanced at the blue walls, paint peeling on the ceiling. Dean removed his arm from Charlie’s shoulders and leaned against the counter in front of him while Jody went around to the back. She returned quickly, more paperwork in her hands.

“In the case of bad weather, my house and Ellen’s are both government approved housing for you,” Jody explained, handing them each a document to sign.

Dean grinned, “So I’m guessing Bobby’s place was declined?” He immediately thought of the scrap yard in Bobby’s backyard and the multitudes of banned books and movies stored in his basement.

Jody laughed, “He knew better than to try,” she glances at Charlie quickly, “but if you two don’t say anything, I won’t. You can stay with him anytime Dean.”

Dean grinned, as he allowed the feeling of _home_ to rush in; the smell of the grass that hung in the air and the sticky hot humidity that he’d always hated but now held the memories of long summers full of smiles.

“I won’t say anything,” Charlie tells Jody with a smile, clearly already enamored with her.

“Good,” Jody replied, taking back the signed paperwork from both of them. “I hear there’s a storm rolling in tonight so Charlie you’re free to stay with me.”

Charlie’s eyes widened in excitement as she unhooked a small device from her belt, allowing it to buzz to life. “How’d you know there’s a storm? I haven’t even detected one yet.”

Jody laughed, “We’ve got a few fancy gadgets of our own here.” She glanced over at Dean, catching his eye. “Designed by a brilliant kid. We’re lucky to have him.”

Dean immediately dropped his eyes to the floor, his black boot rubbing against the worn tan carpet.

Charlie looked at him, her eyes questioning. “Sam?”

Dean shook his head, “No, someone else.”

“How’s Sam, by the way?” Jody asked, a wide smile on her face. She’d always had a soft spot for the moppy-haired teenager.

Dean smiled, finally a topic he was comfortable approaching. “He’s great, top of his class. He’ll graduate early probably, just like he did here.”

Jody grinned wider, “Always knew that kid was going somewhere. His hair still long or did the military get to him?”

With a laugh Dean rubbed at his own hair, short but certainly not buzzed. “Naw, it’s somehow even longer now and no one says a word.”

“Good. That’s our Sammy, right?”

Dean nodded, his chest swelling slightly with pride. He’d never had much confidence in himself but Sam was someone to be proud of. Sam had graduated at 16 and been admitted immediately to the Celsphere engineering program after his high marks. Dean had never been so happy to have such a brilliant and annoying little brother.

“Okay, kids, you’d better head out so I can get some work done,” Jody said, motioning towards the door. “Dean, you can let Charlie into my place. The key’s in the same spot as always. Bobby’s in for a surprise so make sure you get there before it gets dark.”

Dean hugged her before heading out and Charlie gave Jody a warm and appreciative smile.

“Everyone here is so _nice_ ,” Charlie says, beaming. “I definitely didn’t expect them to have any tech better than what we have.”

Dean groaned, already anticipating her desire to get her hands on the weather detector and take it apart to inspect. “Let’s get you settled in,” he said as he pulled her close to him in a comfortable stride together.

He took the scenic route which allowed Charlie a chance to see more of Kansas. She stopped every few minutes to touch the ground, grass, and anything else that was foreign to her. He smiled, letting himself remember the many years of his childhood spent here, running through the fields of Indian Grass.

They came to the old fork in the road, one way leading towards Bobby’s house and all his acres of open land, the other leading towards Jody’s house. Dean realized he hadn’t asked about her son and he wondered idly if Owen was be home. He’d be around ten years old now. Dean furrowed his eyebrows, contemplating going with Charlie to see Owen.

His thoughts are interrupted by a loud buzzing sound from the device hooked around Charlie’s belt. “Check that out, it’s only now picking up the storms,” she said, flipping the machine around in her hands and letting it drop back around her belt. “You go on ahead to Bobby’s, I’ll be fine at Jody’s place.”

“Key’s under the small gnome statue by her front steps,” he said with a smile.

“Anything I need to know about storms on Terra?”

Dean rubbed his hand through his hair and scrunched up his nose slightly as he tried to remember. “We get dust first, and the humidity skyrockets but otherwise just stay inside.”

He winked teasingly, “Hopefully you won’t see a tornado your first time here.”

“Tornado,” she exclaimed, “I better get inside then,” she said with a laugh.

Dean watched her for a few minutes as she took the dusty road towards Jody’s house. He didn’t know why he felt so anxious about seeing Bobby. They had parted on good terms, and Bobby had never expressed any desire to keep Dean from leaving. Yet, Dean knew how Bobby felt about Celsphere and those who lived on it (“Idjits gave up on the Earth and left the rest of us to rot here”).

Dean gulped down his nerves as he brushed his uniform off, a nervous habit he’d picked up. The walk up the road to Bobby’s house was as difficult as ever. He lived on a several acres of land that backed up to a large cliff that overlooked a ravine. The road was steep, and it was hell to walk up. Dean cursed the blistering sun, only enhanced by the brown polluted clouds above and his own long layers of clothing. He longed to strip down to his white undershirt, but he didn’t.

The front porch to his house looked the same as it had looked when he first left. The white paint was chipped and faded. A wind chime still hung from the roof of the porch; a leftover school project from Dean’s childhood. The shutters were blue, also chipped and worn, and one was missing from the second floor window; Dean’s old room. Dean smiled, imagining Bobby cursing about the state of the house but somehow always finding some other more interesting task to complete instead of household repairs. He’d always said as long as the house was full of men the place would be a wreck.

The door was unlocked and for a moment Dean felt like it was no longer his place to just walk in unannounced. He contemplated for a moment before he opened the door, his voice echoing inside, “Bobby?”

When he heard no response he closed the front door, taking the small steps back down the front porch. He made his way around the side of the house to the scrapyard in the back. He heard Bobby cursing before he saw him, and his heart sped up in excitement.

He found Bobby beneath an old car, his jeans covered in oil. The smell reminded him of home, and Dean breathed in deeply as he tapped on Bobby’s knees sticking out from below. He heard Bobby curse again as he rolled himself out, bringing his hands up to shield his eyes from the sun.

“Am I dreaming or is that Dean Winchester back from the sky?”

Dean grinned, all his nerves dissipating into the familiar feeling of family and home. He offered a hand to Bobby and pulled him. Bobby took one look at him before he threw his arms around him in a large hug.

“Son, I heard it might be you coming for a water delivery but I didn’t wanna get my hopes up.”

Dean took a deep breath as he shut his eyes tightly, taking in the smell of oil and grease, summer sweat, and old leather. He didn’t want tears to spring up in his eyes and he quickly wiped them away as he broke free from Bobby’s embrace.

“Good to see you, old man,” Dean said with a warm smile.

 

*****

 

The house smelled like homemade apple pie and Dean’s mouth nearly watered as he walked into the kitchen. Bobby may not have wanted to get his hopes up, but he apparently had. The table was set, and Bobby barked orders at Dean as if he had never left. There were biscuits to take out of the oven, potatoes to peel and mash, and a small chicken already roasted and warming up in the oven.

He’d shed his uniform jacket the second he walked inside, after first allowing Bobby to inspect the colorful pins lining his breast pocket. His navy pants were still too warm, and the heels of his boots clicked loudly on the linoleum as he shuffled around the kitchen as if he’d never left.

It didn’t take long for them to fall back into a familiar routine; Bobby barked orders and Dean followed them with his usual obstinate comments. Once the table was set, they sat down and ate in comfortable silence. Without Sam, the chatter didn’t flow as easily, but they’d always been this way. Dean had taken after Bobby more than Sam had somehow, and they both had a penchant for avoiding deep conversation.

After he’d eaten his second piece of apple pie and his pants began to feel a smidge too tight, Dean leaned back in his chair with a large exhale. “Dinner was great Bobby, I can’t believe you put all that together.”

Bobby pulled two beers from the fridge and handed one to Dean. “Home-brewed,” he said proudly. Dean cracked open the lid, downing the amber liquid slowly.

“Better than I remember,” he said, his eyes closed as he savored his first sip of alcohol since he’d left. Dean tilted his bottle towards Bobby with a small grin, “I’m doing this legal for the first time.”

Bobby rolled his eyes but appreciation was evident in the small twitch of a smile beneath his brown beard peppered with small hints of grey. “How’s Sam?”

“Great, he’s loving his classes.”

“House is real empty without you three idjits running around causing trouble,” Bobby said wistfully.

Dean looked down, a frown on his face. “Don’t tell me you come back after all these years and ain’t gonna say a word to him?”

“What do I say, Bobby? I don’t even know him anymore.”

“That’s bullshit, boy. You grew up together. That bond don’t go away.”

Dean longed to ask, the words formed at the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them down. He wanted to ask how Cas was, what he was doing, and most of all, why he’d stayed. Instead, he scowled at the empty plate in front of him and ran his hands through his hair as he listened to the wind outside.

Bobby dropped the topic as he turned his own attention to the outside. “Big storm’s comin’, you gonna make yourself useful and help board the shutters up?”

Dean nodded, glad for a distraction. He offered to take the upstairs, relieved for the opportunity to change into some of his old clothes which were folded and clean on the corner of his old bed. His room looked the same as the day he left. The blue walls needed repainting, as did everything in the house. His bed was against the corner, blue and green plaid comforter spread across it messily. Dean tapped the model airplane hanging from the ceiling and smiled.

He stopped reminiscing as another gust of wind hit the side of the house. He threw on the pair of jeans, thankful that they had been large on him when he’d last lived here years ago. Now they fit, a little snug on the waist but manageable. Dean quickly pulled the dark green Henley over his white undershirt and bound down the stairs to help close the shutters before the storm.


	3. Passing Storms

The sky was dark before Dean even realized that he needed to get Cas and his brother inside. They had been playing in the open field, zig-zagging through Indian Grass and tackling one another to the ground and wrestling. Cas noticed the sky a moment after Dean did and quickly sprung to action.

“Sammy, I’ll race you home, okay?” he said, his voice low and a fake smile plastered across his face as he looked at the six-year old.

In the distance Dean could see the white house and it seemed miles away to his already tired legs. He’d followed behind Cas and Sam, making sure that Sam kept running and laughing, even as the dark clouds swirled above. Dean knew that Bobby would be gone for a few more hours, if he even made it home that night. Despite the years it had been since he’d last seen his father, Dean heard his command echo inside his head, “Take care of Sammy.”

Dean grit his teeth, urging his legs to move faster, the long stalks of grass scratching him as he ran haphazardly through the brush. Cas turned around and caught his eye just as thunder clapped above them and large drops of rain began to fall. Sam stopped running, his short legs rooted in place as he stared up at the sky with his wide hazel eyes.

When he looked back at Dean, tears began to fill his eyes and fall in large droplets to match the rain. Dean ran forward and scooped up his brother, gritting his teeth as he ran. “I got you, Sammy, we’re almost home,” he whispered as he hugged his brother tightly to his chest.

They’d heard the stories of course, the ones about funnels coming down from the sky, funnels that destroyed everything in their path. They’d done drills at school for it, hiding beneath old wooden desks. Cas ran ahead but quickly slowed to catch his breath, his hands on his knees and his dark hair soaked and curled at the ends. When he looked up, his eyes widened in fear and he pointed a shaky finger behind Dean, their clothing whipping around them violently in the strong wind.

Dean glanced behind him and muttered a curse worse under his breath, one that would earn him a smack from Bobby, but that he felt summarized everything. “Fuck.”

They ran then, allowing the wind to push them back towards home and away from the funneled clouds in the distance. Cas grabbed Dean’s hand as they ran, his chest heaving with each stride. Dean pulled him along, his brother wailing on his shoulder. By the time they got to the house, the sky was a putrid greenish brown color and the rain fell in gallons. They wasted no time, throwing themselves down the stairs to the basement.

Cas wordlessly took Sam from Dean’s arms as Dean locked the basement door, shivering in his wet clothing. The shutters upstairs slammed against the windows and the walls creaked with every large gust of wind that hit the house. Dean looked at Cas with wide eyes, “Bobby’s gonna kill me for forgetting to close the shutters.”

Cas had merely nodded, his blue eyes wide. Sam cried against his shoulder, his sobs lost in the loud sounds of the storm above. “It’s ok, Sammy. You’re safe with us, we’d never let anything happen to you,” Cas said in a soothing voice, masking the fear that Dean could see written all over his face.

Dean joined in, wrapping his arms around Sam and Cas. “We’ve got you. No storm is gonna break us apart,” he said, planting a sloppy kiss on Sam’s forehead.

Sam looked up at Dean and laughed, burying his head further in Cas’ chest. “Gross,” he squealed. Dean looked at Cas again, a warmth for his friend burrowing even deeper in his heart. Cas looked up, his dark hair dripping water down his cheeks, and Dean resisted the urge to throw his arms around Cas and Sam again.

“Bobby should have clothes down here somewhere. He probably didn’t bring the laundry up yesterday,” Dean said as he turned around, masking the slight reddening of his cheeks. “Cas, I’ll find you something of mine to wear,” Dean said.

His heart pounded in his chest as he dug through a basket of clothing that had indeed been left in the basement. He pulled out a one-piece pajama set for Sam and grinned as he set it aside. He found more pajama pants for himself and Cas, as well as a some long-sleeved shirts.

He returned to Sam and Cas who were playing with a tennis ball they had found, bouncing it back and forth to one another. Dean tossed a white and blue baseball tee to Cas and a pair of striped pajama bottoms. He dropped Sammy’s pajamas on his head, which earned him a laugh from Sam who had apparently forgotten the raging storm above.

Dean plopped down next to Cas, changing quickly into his own warm clothing. He ran his hand through his wet hair and shook it out over the small carpet he was sitting cross legged on. “Too bad Bobby didn’t leave any food down here,” he said absently.

“You’re thinking about food right now?” Cas asked incredulously.

Dean shrugged and grinned. “I found something else by the laundry,” he said with a mischievous smile as he ignored the loud rain outside. He pulled out a deck of cards, dangling it in front of Cas’ eyes.

Cas grinned widely, a gap in his front teeth from losing his last baby tooth the week prior. It made Dean smile every time Cas smiled, and especially when he stuck his tongue out through it which he was prone to doing. Cas reached for the cards, snatching them from Dean’s hand.

Dean sat back and watched Cas expertly dole out the cards, a skill taught to him by his uncle Zach who was pretty much never around but somehow his only imparted knowledge involved how to swindle others. Dean was almost as good as Cas, _almost_. Sam picked up the cards in front of him, sticking his tongue out as he concentrated on his hand.

They played for what seemed like forever and Sam eventually fell asleep against Cas’ shoulder, snoring gently. Dean and Cas played War until it got too boring and then moved to Slap Jack until their hands were red and stung too much to keep going. The storm quieted down but Dean wasn’t sure when it would be safe to go back upstairs. They’d never been alone for one before.

A loud thundering upstairs startled them and Sam woke up, his eyes instantly wide with fear.

“Tornado?” he asked.

Dean shook his head as the door to the basement rattled and shook with force. He ran up the steps, his heart pounding in his head.

“Dean! Sammy!”

He flicked open the lock instantly, allowing it to swing open with the next pull. Bobby stood there, his flannel shirt soaked through and hat missing. He wrapped his arms around Dean and picked him up, despite Dean’s protests that at age ten he shouldn’t be carried anymore. Bobby thundered down the stairs quickly.

“Oh thank god,” he muttered as he knelt down, opening his arms to embrace Sam.

Sam ran into his arms, burrowing his head in Bobby’s shoulder. “Thank god my boys are safe,” he said, his eyes stopping on Cas. “You too, idjit, get over here,” he said motioning towards Cas with his free hand.

Cas sprinted into his arms, his eyes giving away the fear he too had felt. Dean smiled, wrapping his arms around his family.

 

*****

 

Dean’s alarm clock went off with a loud beep, startling Dean from his slumber. In a brief moment of disorientation, he looked around the room, his eyes focusing slowly on the familiar surroundings. With a groan, he shut off the alarm on his watch, checking the time. In the event of bad weather, pilots were to check in back at their aircraft at o-eight-hundred hours. Although he’d been in the routine for years, Dean hated waking up to the loud beep of an alarm. He attributed it to his upbringing; one where his little brother often woke him only minutes before having to be on their way to school.

As Dean sat up, he noticed his uniform hanging from the top of the wooden door to his bedroom. He grinned as he swung his legs out from his bed, his toes curling against the cool wood floor that creaked as he stood up. He ran his fingers along his pressed uniform as he shook his head in disbelief. _Bobby had learned how to iron_. Dean grabbed a towel on his way to the shared bathroom in the hall as he stifled a yawn.

The shower was the same as it had been three years ago—almost non-functional. He had to jiggle the nobs in the right way to get it to work and even then he had to shower in cold water first before the water was able to heat up enough. The stern warnings he’d been given his whole life made him smile slightly; don’t waste water. If there was one thing he didn’t miss about Terra, it was the showers.

He didn’t have time to do any thinking, another habit he’d picked up in the few years he’d been on Celsphere where water wasn’t a precious commodity. His first shower had been an exercise in selfish disbelief as he’d taken his time, slow and languid as he washed himself and maybe done a bit more as well. It was a stark comparison to the five minute showers he’d grown up with.

Dean was done in record time, and his hair hung in a disheveled mess as he dried it quickly with a towel. He threw on his white wife-beater and a pair of jeans as he thundered down the stairs to get some breakfast. His bare feet trudged along the hallway to the kitchen as he looked around for Bobby.

“Hey, Bobby,” he called as he pulled aside a white curtain in the kitchen to look for his uncle.

When he got no response he walked outside, inhaling deeply. It smelled like rain and freshly dug up soil, not quite clean and pure but it was like a warm blanket. The after-storm humidity was like that too and he brought his hand up to shield his eyes as he checked the sky for clouds.

His toes dug into the small blades of grass beneath his feet and he grinned as he saw Bobby coming up the drive, his hat in his hands as he wiped sweat from his brow.

“Didn’t think you’d be up so soon, boy,” Bobby called out. “I picked up some breakfast.” He held up a small carton in his hands.

Dean held open the door for Bobby as wiped his feet off before dragging dirt inside.

“I see you at least picked up some manners while you were away,” Bobby said, nodding his head.

Dean let the screen door fall closed, bouncing against its frame as he leaned against the flowered wallpaper in the kitchen. He smirked as he folded his arms across his chest. “I see you learned how to iron while I was away,” he retorted, falling easily into the playful banter of their relationship.

Bobby shot him a look but the corners of his eyes crinkled slightly with amusement. “You stop your sass and sit your butt down for some food before I change my mind.”

Dean obliged, dropping into his usual spot at the small table in the kitchen. He reached into the carton on the table, pulling out some bananas and oranges. “Damn, Bobby, where’d you get these?” He said with a small whistle. He’d been gone a while but not long enough that fresh fruits were suddenly a common thing on Terra.

“Jody knows a guy and he owed her favor,” Bobby grinned, “I think she wanted to treat you right when you got back.”

Dean peeled at the orange in his hand, biting into it and allowing the juice the run down his chin sloppily. “By the way, I was wondering—how did you know it was me coming to deliver water?”

“Gwen and Rufus were our last delivery team a few weeks ago. They hinted at it. Said a few rookies would be flying down and to give you a hard time,” Bobby said with a wink.

Dean nodded, his mouth full of pieces of his orange. He checked his watch again, his eyes narrowing at the time. He had a few minutes left before he had to get dressed and make the walk into town again. He stuffed the rest of his food into his mouth and grabbed a banana to take with him.

“I don’t suppose you have a car to drive me back in?” Dean asked with a messy grin.

“Boy, you got two working legs. It ain’t worth the cost of gas to even start one up.”

Dean gave him a mock salute in agreement as he finished chewing his food and bound up the stairs, taking them two at a time. He slipped into his uniform quickly, smoothing out the front of his coat before buckling his black belt around his waist. His fingers lingered on a few of the pins above his breast pocket. He slid his feet into his black boots last and sat on the bed to zip them up and check for scuff marks. Dean let out a huff of annoyance as he realized he’d have to clean them again anyway after walking back into town on the dirt road.

Before he left, Dean quickly glanced in the dusty mirror hanging at the back of his door. Even just a few hours on Terra and the freckles on his nose had already begun to stand out from the sunlight and his cheeks had a red tint to them.

When Dean got downstairs a small tinge of sadness settled into his bones and he slowed down, breathing in the smell of his childhood home. Bobby was still in the kitchen, his old stereo perched on a countertop precariously as it played Led Zeppelin’s “ _Ramble On_ ”. It was one of Dean’s favorites from a box of old tapes dug up from a junkyard. Dean smiled as he walked into the kitchen, the sunlight from outside hitting the yellowing tiles of the counter. He patted Bobby on the shoulders, his mouth forming the words to go with the song.

Bobby grinned before turning his hat on his head several times and clearing his throat. “Guess it’s time you were headin’ back?”

Dean nodded, his feet suddenly heavy like lead. He didn’t wait for Bobby to initiate it this time; Dean pulled Bobby in for a hug, suddenly realizing he’d somehow grown taller than his uncle in the time he’d been away.

Bobby clapped Dean on the back a few times before the pulled apart, both of their eyes shining slightly. “Good to see you, son,” Bobby mumbled.

“Same here, Bobby,” Dean said as he stepped back towards the door. He knew Bobby would hurry out to the yard and make himself busy with some more repairs rather than have to see Dean off again for a second time. Dean let him, pausing to glance once more around his old home before he stepped out into the blistering Kansas sun.

 

*****

 

Dean arrived a few minutes early to the small hangar, sweat already forming on the back of his neck. He didn’t have the same tolerance for the sun as he used to and his undershirt clung to his back beneath his uniform.

Although it was early in the morning, his plane was already rolled out to the center of the runway and several crewman were loading it and refueling the plane. Dean looked around, his eyes slightly irritated from the dust. Charlie was nowhere to be seen.

Dean walked up to his plane, waving at the deck crew who turned to look at him as he grabbed a clipboard from the cockpit. He went down the list, ensuring he had everything ready to go on his end. Charlie would do her check once she arrived and then they would be free to fly back to Celsphere. He tapped his pen idly against the clipboard, lost in his own train of thought as one of the crewman bumped into him accidentally.

“Hey, sorry,” Dean mumbled as he looked up, his eyes going wide as they stared into the face of his old friend Castiel. The words barely left his mouth, coming out as part of a breathless whisper, “Cas.”

Dean wasn’t sure what he had been expecting but he wasn’t expecting Cas to almost ignore him completely. Dean was caught between being at a loss for words and wanting to yell all the questions he had bottled up for years. _Where were you? Why didn’t you come with me?_ Instead, Cas looked through him, his blue eyes cold and hard. It hit Dean like a punch to the gut, the sheer lack of any emotion towards him.

Dean watched as Cas walked away without as much as a second glance, but was surprised to hear him speak without ever turning his back. “Have your girlfriend recalibrate her heading indicator. It’s off.” His voice was low and gravelly, deeper than it had been several years ago.

Dean blinked once, twice, and then Cas was too far away for him to respond with a witty retort. Luckily, Charlie walked up at that moment, her brow furrowed in confusion.

“What did he say about my heading indicator?”

“Check it before we fly, Charlie,” Dean said as a small sigh escaped his lips.

Charlie flashed him another sideways look as she grabbed the flight checklist from Dean’s hands. “I know to check my instruments, Dean. I don’t need a reminder,” she told him, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

“Yeah, sorry, I know you know.”

Dean kicked himself for second-guessing Charlie and for the lack of any intelligible response to Cas. He wanted to go after Cas, and maybe part of him wanted to punch Cas in the face, but another part of him wanted to talk to him too.

With a loud exhale, Dean put his thoughts aside and hopped inside his plane, clearing his mind for the flight back. The short runway ahead glistened in the heat and he pulled his goggles over his eyes as he flicked on his flight control panel.


	4. Apologies

Sam tapped his pen on his desk, his eyes glancing occasionally at the watch around his wrist. The time didn’t seem to change, no matter how often he checked it. He tried to focus once more on his homework but the physics problems seemed endless. He ran his hand through his long brown hair in frustration and pulled at the ends before he stood up.

He had been worried the night before when Dean hadn’t flown back, and he’d lain awake most of the night with his eyes trained on the empty bed across the room. It’s not that he wasn’t confident in Dean’s abilities, but was a worrier by nature. He paced across the room once more before a knock at the door interrupted his thoughts.

He swung the door open hesitantly as he folded his hair behind his ears. A small smile crossed his face as his friend Reina walked in, making herself at home on his bed.

“I knew you’d be in here stressing about your brother,” she said as she picked up Sam’s “ _Material’s Science_ ” book, the cover worn and corners bent.

Sam sighed and closed the door as he sat back at his desk, turning his chair to face Reina. He watched her as she flipped through his book, turning to look at each dog-eared page. Her long dark hair fell in soft curls around her face as she made “tsk” sounds with each page turn.

“Did you come to distract me or insult me?” Sam asked as he tossed his pen at her head.

Reina looked up with a grin, the corner of her mouth raised mischievously. “Can’t I do both?”

Sam shrugged his shoulders as Reina set his book aside to pull her hair back into a messy ponytail. He shut the book on his desk with a sigh as he went to sit on his bed next to his friend. “I can’t focus enough to do homework right now,” he said as he smoothed his hair down again.

“Sam, he’s going to be fine. Pilots always end up staying a night or two on Terra because of bad weather,” she tapped her finger against Sam’s head, “You’re smart. You know this.”

Sam smiled as he sat back against the wall next to his bed, the cool metal permeating his white cotton undershirt. He glanced over at Reina who had opened his textbook again, her eyes flitting quickly across the words in the chapter they had covered in class that morning.

“It’s weird without Dean here. I mean, I got used to it on Terra after he left but now I’ve grown accustomed to his snoring and his alarm that always goes off five minutes before mine,” Sam finally said as he stared across the room.

Reina put her arm on Sam’s shoulder as she turned to face him, a genuine smile on her face. “Dude, I promise, Dean’s fine and he’ll be back in a few hours, here-—“she said as she pulled out a small electronic device. Her long fingers pressed a few buttons as she sat back, allowing a hologram to appear before them. “Game of chess?”

Sam laughed and rubbed at the back of his neck. She almost always won, but he couldn’t turn down a challenge. “Hell yeah,” he said as he selected the black pieces; a lady always got first choice.

He watched her face as she moved her pawn to e4, and matched her grin with his when he moved his pawn to c5. “I’ll never get over how cool it is that Celsphere has holographic games,” Sam said as he watched her keenly. “Mmhm,” Reina mumbled, moving her knight to f3.

They played for a while, and Sam found himself sufficiently distracted as he focused on their game. It wasn’t until his watch started to beep that Sam sat back and blinked at it.

“Shit. Dean should be back now,” he said as he gave Reina an apologetic look.

“No worries, I’ll save the game and we can finish later, yeah?” She said as she pressed a few buttons on her handheld device.

Sam nodded and put his hand on her head, fingers tangling in her curls. “Thanks, Rei,” he said as he looked down at her. When he’d first arrived and started the program, he had been only a few inches taller than her, at the awkward gangly stage of being sixteen, but he’d had a growth spurt over the last year. He was seventeen and beginning to fill in more to match his newfound height, a good number of inches taller than his best friend.

Reina gave him a quick hug before heading back towards her own dormitory with a small wave. Sam waited until she turned the corner before he jogged towards the flight deck. He was thankful that he’d memorized the layout of Celsphere when he’d first arrived.

Each corridor was chrome lined with colored lights along the sides—the only indication of where you were amidst the endless silver. He passed the blue lighted corridors—the dormitories, and then the green ones that lit the way to the greenhouses.

Sam slowed down as he reached the corridors with flashing yellow lights, a warning to military personnel to walk and not run. His long strides carried him quickly as he found the same dock he had snuck onto when he’d watched Dean take-off. Sam swiped his ID card quickly against the security block by the door as his foot tapped impatiently.

The large metal doors pulled open with a hiss and shut behind him as he stood on the small concrete dock, keeping clear of the ramp and steps down to the hangar. He’d probably get demoted if he dared step foot down there without the security clearance.

Sam squinted his eyes, looking carefully at the planes lined up along the each side of the hangar. A wide grin crossed his face as he saw a mess of red hair hop out of one of the planes, followed by his brother. Sam exhaled loudly, relief flooding through him.

 

*****

 

After going through the usual flight checks and reporting to his captain, Dean was free for the next few days, or at least until he received his next set of orders. After he met up with Sam, they decided to head over to the military mess hall for dinner.

Dean eyed the selection hungrily as his stomach rumbled. He’d missed lunch and hadn’t had much of a breakfast either. He hadn’t been joking when he’d said that Celsphere had a higher quality of food; it also had more variety. Sam filled his plate with pasta and a creamy red sauce before he split apart from Dean to go to the salad bar. Dean had a much more basic appetite; a burger, fries, and a slice of pie.

He met up with Sam again as they stood in line to checkout. Sam rolled his eyes at Dean’s plate as the girl at the counter added up his total on the register.

“15 sphere-coins,” the girl said as she looked elsewhere.

Dean set his tray on the counter as he remembered his badge was still tucked inside his pocket. He pulled it out and a small white piece of paper fell out with it as well, slowly floating to the ground. Dean grumbled as he picked it up and shoved it back inside his pocket.

“I’ve got his meal too,” Dean said, motioning towards Sam’s tray.

“Hey, I can pay for myself, Dean,” Sam protested.

“I just finished my first mission and I’ve got a steady paycheck now. Let me spoil my little brother.”

“Not little,” Sam said, straightening up his posture so that his height was evident.

Dean teased Sam some more on the way to their usual spot in the corner of the cafeteria where the noise was little more than a dull roar. Sometimes Charlie joined them, and Kevin too, as well as some classmates of Sam’s. They preferred the quiet, or at least to be the rowdy ones in their own little corner.

His food was a delicious reminder of where he was and Dean was nearly finished with his last bite of pie as he remembered the stray note in his pocket. He pulled it out, unfolding the sides carefully. His fork clattered to his plate loudly as his eyes ghosted over the paper several times.

_I’m sorry. –C_

Sam looked at him, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Something wrong?”

Dean faked a small smile as he shook his head and shoved the note back into his pocket, his hand running over it several times. He tried to focus on what Sam was saying, something about his class on physics of aerodynamics but his mind kept returning to the note in his pocket which felt like it was burning a hole in him.

Sam talked the entire way back to their cabin, the loudspeaker calling out the time as they went. It was nearly time for lights out in the military sector and Dean wanted to get back to his room to sit down and take a few deep breaths.

 

*****

 

Dean waited until Sam was asleep and his soft snores could be heard across the room. He flicked his light on beside his bed, turning it so that it faced into the corner and kept Sam’s side of the room dark. His hands were shaky as he pulled out the note and let his fingers run over the lettering finally.

It was from Cas, he knew that without a doubt. The block letters and slight tilt to the right as if he’d written it in a hurry. Cas always wrote that way; Dean had seen endless notebooks filled with that writing surrounding hurried sketches as if Cas wanted to get his ideas down on paper before they drifted away.

Dean tipped his head back against the wall as he wished for the millionth time that communication was possible between Celsphere and Terra. The com systems certainly weren’t enough to reach there, staticky at best even in a clear atmosphere and certainly not enough to get through the haze of pollution and radiation that hung in the clouds above Terra.

He had a million questions he wanted to ask, and no way to do so. He ran his hand through his hair as he sighed in exasperation. Is that why Cas bumped into him? Dean wanted to find out but for all he knew, his next assignment would be to New York, a full day’s flight away. Dean looked at the small note once more before tucking it into his wallet next to a worn half of a photo that he’d never been able to bring himself to throw away.

His eyes dart to the pictures taped to the wall next to his bed. It had been a fun summer when Bobby hit it big with a junkyard a few towns over. He’d brought back a polaroid camera that miraculously still worked and had blank film in it; unspoiled. Cas and Sam had wanted to take the damn thing apart but Dean had refused, treasuring it and taking very deliberate and careful photos of everything and everyone he loved.

There’s a photo of Bobby next to the house, a beer in one hand and a dirty rag in the other. That photo is next to one of Sam, proudly holding up his testing marks from school. Dean had a few of his room, the house, and ravine that they’d been told never to play by. He had a lot of pictures of Cas and the airplane they had been working on but never finished. He’d left those back home since he thought Cas would be here with him. Dean absently wished that he had remembered to check in his drawer for those when he’d been home.

He brought his finger up to touch a photo on the wall, the edges jagged and torn on one side. Dean was 16 and his face was covered in grease from helping Bobby fix up some old cars. One arm was slung around the shoulders of Sammy, who was pretending to sulk. Dean knew the missing half of the picture all too well. His other arm had been slung around Cas’ shoulders, whose face was covered in matching oil and a matching wide grin.

There’s one more photo that Dean looks at before he can’t stand to think about the home he left behind. It’s next to the one of Bobby, mounted carefully with tape only along the necessary edges. It’s of his mom and dad, smiling in front of an old airplane. His mom’s blonde hair was blowing in the wind and his dad wasn’t looking at the camera, only at Mary. Bobby had given him the photo when he was a kid. It’s a bit worse for wear, and there had been a period of a few years when Dean had folded back the side that contained his father’s grinning face. The small crease is still evident but Dean had done his best to leave those wounds behind when he’d come to Celsphere.

He ran his fingers over the photo of his mother again before he turned around, shutting off the light as his head hit the pillow. He squeezed his eyes shut, begging sleep to come easily and to not be haunted by memories of his past and people he’d said goodbye to years ago.


	5. Renaissance Man

Dean puffed out his cheeks in annoyance as he struggled to remain seated and keep his mouth shut. They were sixteen and Cas was deep into his art phase after he’d gotten ahold of some old copies of art books.

“How long do I need to stay still?”

“Until I’m done,” Cas replied, his eyebrows raised but his eyes focused on the paper in front of him. His hands were black from charcoal and his brown hair fell in long pieces in front of his face. “I require you to also keep your mouth shut, if that is possible,” Cas reminded Dean.

Dean huffed in response as he laid back against the wood floor of the barn. He eyed the ceiling suspiciously, pieces of it had been slowly replaced over the summer. He’d suspected Bobby of fixing up the barn for them after the last storm had knocked half a wall down and nearly crushed their assembly of engine parts. Dean chewed idly on a piece of Indian Grass as he tried to keep still. It didn’t last long.

“You’re like one of those, what are they called? Guys who can do everything like draw and do math and shit.”

“Renaissance man?” Cas offered as he looked up at Dean.

“Yup, Cas. One of those.”

Cas sighed and let out a puff of air, his bangs blowing up from his forehead. “I’m trying to get your profile, Dean. I can’t do it when you keep looking over at me.”

Dean rolled his eyes but obliged, rolling around the piece of grass that stuck out of his mouth. He sat back against the ground, his hands behind his head.

“You gonna draw her in pieces, or complete?” Dean asked, referring to the bare bones of their airplane that sat unfinished behind him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Dean saw Cas tilt his head in contemplation. “What do you think I should do?” He asked Dean.

“Finished would be cool.”

Cas nodded, wiping a hand across his nose to catch a bead of sweat.

Dean complied with Cas’ orders, mostly. He at least stayed in the same spot rather than squirming around and turning his head every minute. It didn’t take long either, at least for Cas to finish the part where he needed to draw Dean. By the time Dean sat up, the back of his flannel shirt was damp with sweat and his mouth itched for some water and respite from the summer heat. The heat made him tired and after lying still for so long, his eyelids hung heavy over his green eyes. He stifled a yawn as Cas walked over, stretching his legs before he plopped down cross-legged.

“What do you think?” Cas asked as he shoved his notebook towards Dean, averting his eyes to the side.

Dean took it in his hands and the detail nearly took his breath away. He didn’t want to notice the deliberate care Cas had taken in getting Dean just right, and maybe even better because Dean thought he never looked this cool even on his best days. The plane was a beauty and it astounded him to see how Cas envisioned her looking after many summers spent working on her. Her body was black with chrome lining and the light bouncing off her lit up the whole picture. Dean thought it was perfect.

“Holy crap, Cas,” Dean murmured. When he looked over at Cas, he noticed a slight blush to his tan cheeks and it made a small part of him content. “Don’t tell me you were worried I wouldn’t like it?”

Cas nodded as he looked back at Dean, the corners of his lips upturned slightly. Desire pooled deep in Dean’s gut as he tried not to stare into Cas’ eyes, blue and endlessly deep. He’d spent the whole summer skirting something that felt like attraction and it seemed to be coming to a head.

Dean laughed and shook his head. He looked at Cas once more and moved his hand to wipe off a stream of dark charcoal on Cas’ cheek, his hand caressing Cas gentler than he had intended. He went to pull his hand back, to cover the moment up and disregard it as an unintentionally intimate thing between friends.

Then Cas leaned into it and his eyelids closed gently. Dean wasn’t sure what overcame him but Cas was close, he was right there, and they were all alone. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to Cas’, savoring the way Cas smelled up close; like charcoal and summer air and fresh linen. Cas tasted like the beer they had split during lunch and felt like every answer to every question Dean had ever had.

Cas groaned in pleasure and Dean realized what he was doing. He sat back in shock, bringing his hands towards his own lips. Cas opened his eyes and they quickly shifted into a look of fear. Dean scrambled backwards, stumbling as he hurried to stand up. He tried to ignore the plumpness to Cas’ chapped lips and the red blush that crept along Cas’ exposed collarbone beneath his thin blue cotton shirt.

“I’m, I don’t know, fuck-—“ Dean said with a stutter.

Cas quickly stood up and tucked his notebook under his arm as he kept a wide distance between them. “I know. It’s ok, we can forget it.”

Dean nodded slowly, his hands running back and forth through his hair. “I think you should go home, Cas.”

Cas nodded, his eyes trained on the wall behind Dean in an illusion of looking at Dean. Dean knew him better than that. He knew the slight hunch of Cas’ shoulders and the closed set of his mouth that gave away his inner turmoil.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, maybe, yeah?”

“Sure, Dean.”

*****

Dean woke up and his cold hands went right up to touch his lips as he chased the dream. He wasn’t sure if the memory was as intimate as his dream, but he was pretty sure it had been. For years he’d done everything he could to put that moment out of his mind, but seeing Cas had brought it flooding back as if it had happened only yesterday.

He shook his head as he thought about that promise of seeing each other and pretending that nothing had happened; nothing had changed. Of course, it hadn’t been like that at all. Dean barely saw Cas that summer, and it was probably most his own fault. He’d gotten drunk and then he started spending time with this girl Cassie who in hindsight was such a foolishly obvious replacement for Cas but then school had rolled around and things had gone back to a weak parody of normality. Time healed that wound too eventually.

Dean grimaced as he looked back at the clock next to his bed; only an hour until his alarm would go off. Across the room he could hear Sam snoring lightly, and Dean sat back, listening to the gentle hum of the generators and the quiet taps of footsteps in the corridor outside their room. He tried to think about anyone but Cas; the girl named Lisa he’d dated his senior year, and the girl Tessa he’d briefly hooked up with when he got to Celsphere. It seemed to work well enough, a small grin plastered on his face.

He decided to shower, thankful for the extra allowance he had since graduating that had allowed him to pay for a private bathroom. A year spent in the military community showers had been enough for him, great water pressure or not. He opened the door quietly, hoping not to disturb Sam, who turned over in his sleep grumpily. Dean flicked the light on once the bathroom door was closed and he shed his black boxer briefs quickly, turning the shower on.

The shower was warm and perfect as Dean let the clear water run through his hands; a luxury he’d never take for granted. He washed his hair quickly but took his time as he washed his body, reveling in the time he had, nothing like the five minute showers on Terra. Despite his best efforts, his mind kept drifting back to his kiss with Cas all those years ago. Dean shook his head, forcing himself to think of his other partners over the years. The way Cassie had squealed and laughed in bed, or how Lisa had screamed so loud once that her dad came busting in with a shotgun. There had been Rhonda too, a girl a few years older than him who had made him try on her pink satin underwear. Dean’s half-hard just thinking about it.

He languidly stroked himself, not quite in the mood to do more than that; not with the image of Cas inserting itself every few minute into his consciousness. Instead, he focused on the finer points of flight and any of the other minute tasks he might devote his day to. Dean thought about school on Terra, the years spent preparing for the aptitude test to move to Celpshere. Dean let his mind wander and settle on the plot of a movie he’d watched recently with Charlie where the main character had saved the world with 80’s music and cheesy lines. It seemed to help and he started to rinse himself off for the last time as Sam started to bang on the door.

“Dude, I gotta piss. You’ve been in there forever.”

“Hold your horses, jeez. I’m almost done.”

Dean stepped out with a towel around his waist and a cocky grin on his face. “Bathroom’s all yours, princess”.

“Sure, Dean,” Sam replied with his lips tightened into a thin line as he rolled his eyes.

 

*****

 

It wasn’t until after lunch that Dean was called to the flight training room, along with the rest of his squad. They filtered in quietly and took their seats at the front of the class. Dean drummed his fingers on the cool desk in front of him. Charlie came in a minute later and plopped down in the seat next to him with a grin.

“Think we’ll get more orders for this week?”

Dean nodded, his eyes trained on the door that opened slowly. He couldn’t help the apprehension that built in his chest as he hoped that he’d be assigned to Lawrence, Kansas again. He moved his hand towards his wallet in his pants where Cas’ letter was tucked safely away.

Their Captain walked in a few minutes later after their squad had all arrived and seated themselves. Her dark blonde hair was pulled back into a tight bun and her crystal-clear blue eyes inspected each of them. Her heels clicked on the floor as she walked to the podium at the front of the class and pressed a few buttons to bring up a holographic screen.

While Dean hadn’t been expecting a lecture, it didn’t help to stifle his nerves. He knew at the end of her review on safety, flight, and supply delivery procedures, they’d all get their first mission reviews. Next to him, Dean could see Charlie chewing on a strand of her hair. The tension in the room was palpable as the Captain flipped her hands through slides and photos describing missions gone wrong and what to avoid when visiting Terra.

“I’m aware of the torture it was to sit through a lecture before your evaluations so I’ll let you all know that no one’s being demoted—yet,” Capt. Naomi said as she shut off the display. “You may all wait outside and I’ll call each pair in individually.”

The class shuffled out and Dean leaned against the wall outside before he sank slowly to the ground. Charlie did the same next to him with a loud groan. Dean looked over at Bela who was leaning against the wall across from him as she filed her nails with a bored expression.

“You seem confident,” Dean said.

She looked at him, her green eyes cold and unimpressed. “You heard her. None of us are getting demoted so I’m not sure why you’re all moping,” she said with a smirk. On anyone else, her foreign accent would have been pleasant to listen to but every word out of her mouth was laced in sarcasm and annoyance, particularly towards Dean.

“Where’d you guys deliver to?” Charlie asked Kevin as she noticed him pacing back and forth.

“Small town in Illinois. I doubt we’ll go back there again though.”

Dean cocked his head to the site, “Why do you figure?”

“They had maybe 100 people left in the town. Too small and not worth the resources. They’ll be forced to move to a bigger town,” Kevin said with a shrug. “It’s simple economics.”

The door to the classroom opened and Naomi called Bela and Kevin in first. They weren’t inside for long and left with grins on their faces.

“I’m sure you guys did fine,” Kevin said as he passed by Dean and noticed the worried grimace.

Charlie nudged Dean in the ribs as Benny and Amy went inside next. “Why do you look so worried? Everything went perfectly and plus we went to your hometown. I’m pretty sure they aren’t gonna say you did a terrible job.”

Dean nodded and tried to give Charlie a small smile back. He didn’t know how to tell her it wasn’t that he was nervous about his performance. Well, maybe he was slightly nervous about that but he was more nervous that he wouldn’t get to go back there. Maybe Naomi would notice that he was from Kansas and the little flaw in the system that allowed him that assignment would be reversed. He didn’t know how to say exactly how badly he wanted the chance to go back.

“Lieutenants Winchester and Bradbury,” Naomi called as she let Benny and Amy out of the room.

Dean gulped but shuffled quickly to his feet and straightened his uniform, following in after Charlie. They took their seats in the front row directly in the center as Naomi placed pieces of paper on their desks.

When she turned to speak to them, a rare but small smile was on her face. “You two received the best reviews all around. From the deck crew here on Celsphere who said your work was impeccable, to the sheriff on Terra who wrote you both fantastic letters.”

Charlie beamed as she looked over the sheet in front of her, exemplary marks in every category. Dean did the same as his eyes drifted over the words in front of him. The knot in his stomach unclenched slightly and he exhaled.

“You’re both being assigned to this route permanently, unless conditions change,” Naomi said as she looked at them, her eyes lingering on Dean’s face.

He kept his composure as every bone in his body flooded with relief. Maybe they had changed the rules? Maybe you were allowed back to deliver to cities where you had ties to. He thought perhaps no one had noticed and so he’d gotten away with it after all; not that it was really his fault to begin with since he’d just followed orders. These thoughts and more cross Dean’s mind quickly but he kept a straight face.

Naomi went over a few more details with them and then said they were both free to go. “You’ll receive orders in the next day or two so be prepared for that,” she told them as she stood and clasped her hands behind her back.

“Yes, sir,” they replied in unison as they waited for her to dismiss them.

“Lieutenant Bradbury, you’re dismissed. Winchester, stay behind for just a moment.”

A stone dropped to the bottom of Dean’s stomach. She knew. He nodded and waited for the door to close behind Charlie as she gave him a worried glance. He walked up to her table and stood at attention.

“I’m sure you are aware that it is against the rules for Celsphere personnel to revisit their former hometowns on Terra,” she said slowly as her blue eyes narrowed at him, “even if it was an order.”

Dean nodded as he assumed it was best to keep quiet. He’d already been reassigned there permanently, so clearly his captain had no intention to turn him in.

“There are several reasons why I am permitting you back to Lawrence, Kansas,” she explained as she flipped open a file on her desk and ran her finger down the page. She looked back up at him, her expression blank. “First of all, no one else seems to have caught the flaw in the system, which could work for or against us.” She paused for a moment as she let her words sink in. “With marks like these, our squadron comes out on top.”

Dean held back a small grin, there it was. She was vying for a promotion and a reason to pull ahead of the other candidates and his team was it. “I understand perfectly,” he said.

His captain nodded and smoothed out the coat of her uniform. “This means you don’t talk to others outside our squadron about your missions. Is that clear?”

“Crystal,” Dean replied dryly. His mind immediately went to a few of the other students in competing squads, namely Hannah. She was nice enough but she was so set on doing the right thing and wouldn’t hesitate to turn him in for his due punishment.

Naomi narrowed her eyes at him before she relaxed slightly. “Dismissed, lieutenant.”

As the door shut behind him, Charlie immediately grabbed his arm and pulled him down another corridor with her. “What was that about?” she whispered.

“Not here,” Dean said.

Charlie rolled her eyes but directed him towards her room which was closer. She’d grown up on Celsphere so she had more money than Dean, Bela, and Benny, who were in the residence sector furthest from their training rooms. The small lights along the hallway blinked a calming purple color as Charlie dragged Dean behind her.

She didn’t have a roommate and her room would be a goldmine for anyone who wanted to bust her for illegal activity. She closed the door behind Dean and locked it quickly. Dean threw himself onto her bed and grabbed a magazine she had stashed beneath her mattress. He flipped through it idly and grinned at the half naked females in various attire.

“Hey, grubby hands off my stuff,” Charlie said as she grabbed it and tossed it on her desk. “Tell me what’s up before I crawl out of my skin.” Her tone turned serious and she looked at Dean with worry.

Dean nodded and sat up, running his hands through his hair. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing bad about you,” he said as he gestured to her room full of banned paraphernalia.

She let out a breath and sat on the bed next to him. “A girl can never be too careful, ya know?”

Dean thought again about Cas and debated telling Charlie, but his palms began to sweat at the prospect of it, so he left that alone. “It was about me going back to my hometown—illegal and all.”

Charlie furrowed her brow in thought. “I wondered about that. I figured no one had caught it or maybe no one cared anymore.” She paused again as she reached over to grab the magazine she’d taken from Dean a moment ago. “So I’m guessing that it makes us all look good since we got glowing remarks, so the Captain isn’t going to say anything?”

“Pretty much,” Dean said with a shrug.

“What do you think about this girl?” Charlie asked as she pointed to a girl in a skimpy schoolgirl outfit in her magazine.

“Hot, I guess?”

“I’m trying to find out your type here, Dean. Gimme something better.”

“What about this one?” Charlie said as she flipped to a page with a girl in military attire with dark hair, high cheekbones, and bright blue eyes.

“Better,” Dean said without hesitation.

“Hmmm,” Charlie said. “She’s hot but I dig a girl with softer features.”

Dean raised an eyebrow at her but didn’t say a word. He’d known about her preference for the female gender but sometimes it still shocked him, the ease in which she could discuss it. At least with him, and maybe a few select others who wouldn’t dare turn her in. It was a big secret to keep and he’d held a certain pride when she told him she wanted to confide in him.

Their friendship had opened up after that and he came to realize that her sexual orientation might be one of the less severe laws she’d broken, as some others included hacking of government and military information.

Dean smiled at her as she flipped through the magazine she’d stolen from one of the boy dormitories. He reached over to her desk to turn on the small tape player she’d rigged up from some smuggled materials. The speakers were shitty and old, meant for the computer science students to toy with in their first level classes, but at least they worked.

“What the hell is this?” Dean asked as the tape began to play mid-song, two women singing.

“It’s Wicked, thank you very much, and it’s awesome,” Charlie retorted.

“How old is this?”

“Well it’s a musical so figure it out. Very old. I’m lucky I got it to even play.”

Dean scowled at her as it played but he found himself enjoying it, the way the two voices harmonized. He had no idea what it was about, but it made him feel as if the world back then had been full of hope and grandeur if this is what people listened to. A small part of him felt a little sadder at the reality.

“I didn’t get a chance to ask you, but Jody told me about a friend you grew up with. Did you get to see him?” Charlie asked nonchalantly as she rolled to lay on her back.

Dean scooted over, doing the same. Her feet tapped lightly against his head and he kicked off his boots to do the same to her head at the opposite end of the bed.

“No, I didn’t.”

“That’s too bad,” Charlie said. “Maybe next time?”

Dean took a shaky breath as he admitted to her, “I hope so.”

 

*****

 

Another two full days passed before Dean and Charlie got their next orders. Dean spent his time imagining various scenarios in which he’d see Cas and talk to him, only to then talk himself out of it. The days had passed excruciatingly slowly and even Sam had begun to get annoyed, escaping to the library to study rather than watch Dean throw a tennis ball at the wall with his anxious energy.

Dean didn’t waste a moment, his uniform pressed and ready to go. He slipped into it, taking a moment to check himself in the mirror before he left. The deck crew had his plane ready to go when he arrived and Naomi wasn’t there to see them off this time. The training wheels were truly gone.

As Dean booted up the plane and the familiar Celsphere logo lit up his screen, a smile spread across his face. He pulled his goggles over his eyes and secured his headset.

“Ready for take-off?”

“Aye-aye, captain,” Charlie said.


	6. Paper Planes

Dean held a cold ice-pack to his friend’s cheek and clenched his other hand into a tight fist. Next to him on the counter, Cas had piled his muddied books.

“Does it hurt?” Dean asked as he looked at the small hint of a bruise forming beneath the ice-pack.

Cas shook his head and averted his eyes towards the floor. He scuffed his foot against the tile floor and bit his lip at he struggled to keep his composure. “I just wish they hadn’t thrown my books into the mud,” he said quietly.

“Oh, shit.” Dean said as he realized that he should probably wipe them off and set them to dry. He handed Cas the ice-pack and grabbed a rag from the drawer as he piled the books on the counter by the sink. “Here, Cas, I’ll wipe them off and you can lay them out on the table to dry. Is that okay?”

When he didn’t hear a response, he looked over his shoulder at his friend who looked impossibly small as he leaned against the kitchen counter, his tan cargo’s a size too big and his loose navy shirt that was streaked with mud. Cas was small for his age, and the other 11-year olds liked to pick on him, especially when Dean wasn’t around. It always surprised Dean because he had taught Cas how to fight, but Cas never hit anyone back.

“I’m telling you Cas, if you fight back, they’ll leave you alone,” he said as he handed a book back to Cas.

“They will still think I’m weird.”

Dean shrugged his shoulders, “So what if you are?”

“Great, thanks.”

Dean gave him a cocky grin over his shoulder. Cas didn’t return his smile, his blue eyes instead were clouded over and dark as he brought his hand up to his cheek.

“What do they call you? Tinman?”

“Yes, Dean, thank you for the reminder,” Cas said with an annoyed huff.

Dean turned around as he handed another book to Cas. “Look, man, that’s not bad at all. Maybe you’re a little stiff and hard to get to know.” Dean paused for a moment as he reached across the table in the kitchen and poked at Cas’ chest. “But I know you’ve got a heart in there,” he said with a wink.

Cas narrowed his eyes at him. “Is that supposed to be reassuring? I’m not sure I understand the reference,” he replied coldly.

Dean rolled his eyes and turned around as he grabbed the last book to wipe off over the sink. He dropped the conversation and for a moment could understand the annoyance their classmates sometimes felt when speaking to Cas. Dean decided to change the topic as he made a mental note to explain the tinman reference to Cas someday.

“Do you wanna work on the plane today?”

Cas nodded as he sulked against the counter. It was the first day of summer break and Dean didn’t want to waste any time. Dean tossed the dirty rag into the sink and tried to give Cas a friendly smile to break some of the tension.

“Sorry for being sour,” Cas said softly as he grabbed his black moleskine notebook from the counter. Thankfully only a few pages had gotten wet and they were empty ones to begin with.

“Do you wanna go to the cliff instead for a bit?” Dean asked, knowing that Cas loved to sit up there and think. “I mean, Bobby’s not home since he took Sammy to Ellen’s and he won’t ever know,” Dean added quickly, well aware that one of Bobby’s only rules was to not play close to the ravine.

Cas’ face lit up considerably and he smiled, “That would be great.”

They took the long route, winding around the corners of Bobby’s property and around to the opposite side of the barn. The sun was high in the sky but a gentle breeze cooled them as they walked through patches of wheat that brushed roughly against their legs.

The cliff jutted out over a steep ravine and the yellow grass that grew in patches extended right to the edge, giving a false sense of security. Bobby had caught them once last summer as they had lain on their stomachs and crawled right to the edge and looked over as gusts of wind carried their laughter.

Dean ran up the small hill that led to the cliff edge and turned around to watch Cas who looked slightly winded with a pink hue across his cheeks. “It looks like Bobby doesn’t trust us,” Dean said with a laugh as he pointed to the small metal barrier put up a few feet before the edge. Cas laughed too as he trudged up the last bit of the hill.

The wind howled as it got trapped in the ravine and then came gusting over the top of the cliff. Dean closed his eyes a moment as he leaned against the new railing and let the wind blow his hair into a tangled mess. Cas followed suit and did the same thing, his eyes closed and his mouth open wide in a smile that caused his nose to wrinkle slightly.

They looked over the metal railing for a while before Cas sat back on the ground and pulled out his black notebook. Dean followed suit and plopped down beside Cas, peering over his shoulder at his notebook.

“Did some pages get ruined?” Dean asked.

“Only a few blank ones,” Cas said as he began to tear one of the pages out, the corners slightly darkened from the water and mud damage. Dean watched him intently as Cas fold each side towards the middle, and then the corners downwards. He’d seen Cas make a hundred of these, in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes Dean would find one on his desk at school and open it to find a stupid joke that made him smile, and sometimes it would be some useless fact that Cas had found interesting enough to share with him.

Dean moved his hand to ask for a piece of paper to make his own plane with but Cas shook his head. He wanted to protest but he found himself watching Cas instead and the way he squinted his eyes slightly as he concentrated and his hands took great precision in getting the folds just right. Cas stopped suddenly, midway through the last few folds, and reached in his pocket to grab a pen.

“Here,” he said as he handed it to Dean.

“What do I do with this?” Dean asked, his eyebrows drawn inwards in confusion.

“Write down a wish.”

Dean wanted to roll his eyes, to say they were too old to be making wishes, but part of him loved this about Cas. The way he seemed to flip ordinary moments and turn them into something extraordinary. Dean stuck the end of the pen in his mouth and chewed on it lightly before he had an idea.

He took the paper from Cas’ hands and unfolded part of it carefully. He scribbled the words down hastily, the penmanship atrocious, and handed it back to Cas after he had refolded the edges down.

“What did you wish for?” Cas asked as he stood up.

“If I tell you it won’t come true,” Dean said with a smirk on his face.

Cas glared at him in annoyance as he leaned against the railing with the paper plane in his hand. Dean turned around to watch him, but he didn’t stand up.

The sun shone brilliantly like a halo around Cas’ dark hair that blew in the wind and when he turned to look at Dean, his bright blue eyes shined brightly despite the dark bruise that had begun to spread across his left cheek. Cas pulled his arm back and then leaned far forward over the railing as he threw the plane over the edge.

Dean scrambled to his feet to watch it float halfway across the ravine and then float upwards slightly before the wind cut through its path and sent it plummeting downwards. It soon became impossible to follow as it flew out of their line of sight.

“I wished for our plane to fly,” Dean whispered quietly to Cas.

 

*****

 

They landed several hours later and Dean dragged his hands down his face as he pulled off his goggles. The flight had been shakier than last time and his mind had been elsewhere despite his best intentions to keep focused on his duties. Charlie hopped out of the plane with a huff and gave him a questioning look.

“You doing alright, Winchester?”

“Yeah, sorry, don’t think I slept very well,” he told her, which wasn’t exactly a lie. He grabbed his checklist from the pocket on the door and ran down it, checking the plane quickly before the deck crew arrived. He couldn’t help the nervous glances he kept stealing every time he heard footsteps approaching.

He handed the clipboard to Charlie and let her record several of her readings as one of the crewman finally approached them. He looked familiar but Dean couldn’t quite place him; maybe he was a guy from the year below his.

Dean held out his hand to the guy who looked almost puzzled at the informal introduction. “Name’s Dean Winchester. This is my navigator and co-pilot Charlie Bradbury.”

“Mike, Mike August,” he said as he shook Dean’s hand firmly and tipped his head at Charlie. After a moment he snapped his fingers together, “You’re from here aren’t you?” he shook his head, “No wonder you weren’t too good to shake my hand,” he said with a grin. “Follow me, I’m gonna get your plane unloaded and the weather looks good so you should be able to head back in a few hours.”

Dean could feel his face fall slightly and he turned around to look back at his plane, his eyes scanning the tarmac for any sign of Cas. He stuck his hand in his pocket where he knew Cas’ letter was.

“So, no Jody here to greet us today,” Charlie mused as they followed Mike inside to finish their paperwork.

“I guess the welcome-wagon was a one-time deal,” Dean said with a smile. Dean looked over at Charlie again and his eyes settled on her red armband. “Shit,” he muttered.

She looked over at him and rolled her eyes, “You forgot your armband again. That’ll cost us points if anyone notices,” she whispered.

“Mike, I’ll catch up with you guys. I know where the office is,” Dean said as he turned to sprint back to his plane. He swore under his breath as he boots clicked loudly on the concrete beneath him and then got quieter as he stepped onto the black asphalt of the runway.

He opened his door and grabbed the small red fabric tucked inside the pocket on the door, but he stopped as he noticed a folded airplane set neatly on his chair. He didn’t have to wonder who it was from. Dean felt like the air had been knocked out of his lungs and he grabbed it, unfolding the wings carefully.

If you can, meet at the usual spot at one o’clock. -C

Dean glanced at his watch and cursed again under his breath. It was nearly thirteen-hundred hours and he still had paperwork to sign and he didn’t necessarily have somewhere for Charlie to go. He folded the plane closed again and tucked it in his coat pocket before he sprinted back towards the warehouse entrance.

He was out of breath when he slid into the office door, his boots leaving small scuff marks on the floor. He’d apologize for that later he thought.

“Well you’re in a hurry,” Charlie remarked playfully.

Dean nodded as he secured his armband around his uniform, the indication that he was here on military orders. “Hey, Mike, got those papers?”

Mike reached behind the main desk and grabbed a few papers and flipped through each one slowly, checking various boxes. Dean could feel the minutes ticking away and he drummed his fingers on the counter. Charlie stood up from the chair she’d been sitting in and tapped his side, indicating to him to stop being a pain.

“Four containers delivered?” Mike asked as he flipped through the last sheet.

“Yes, four,” Dean confirmed, his hands itching to take the clipboard from the man in front of him.

“Here you go, just sign each page and make sure everything is correct.”

Dean flipped through each page, and as much as he wanted to simply sign without checking it, he knew better than that—no matter how badly he wanted to go meet Cas. He scribbled his signature messily at the bottom of each page and handed the clipboard to Charlie.

“Let me guess, you have somewhere to be?” Charlie asked without looking up.

“Only if you don’t mind,” Dean responded with a smile.

“Get out of here, but be back in time to make our next flight path. The Captain will have our necks if we’re late and there’s no reason for it.”

“Yes, sir,” Dean said as he walked out of the room with a small wave to Charlie and Mike.

Dean took the road for most of the way but cut off as soon as he got too close to Bobby’s house. He glanced again at his watch and quickened his pace since he was already late. He just hoped that Cas would wait. He took the way that took him around the back of Bobby’s property and to the far side of the barn. He took a deep breath as he approached it and saw a figure leaning against some crates stacked next to the barn doors, head turned to the side looking off in the distance, and strong arms crossed over his chest.

Dean walked up slowly, a nervous smile on his face. He used the extra time to take in how much taller Cas had really grown in the last few years. His skin was tan and his blue eyes stood out even brighter beneath a mess of brown hair. He wore the same outfit Dean had last seen him in; a white loose button-down with sleeves rolled to the elbow and tan cargo pants with suspenders. When Cas looked up, Dean’s heart palpitated in his chest.

“Hey, Cas,” Dean said as he walked up slowly, his hand rubbing at the short hair at the back of his head.

“Hello, Dean.”

Dean stared at him for a moment before pulling out the folded up airplane he had stuck in his coat pocket. “I got your notes,” he said. Cas didn’t seem to want to talk first, so Dean started.

“Look, uh, I accept your apology and all. Whatever reason you never joined me or even said goodbye—just uh, don’t worry about it,” Dean said, stumbling over his words. Cas narrowed his eyes at Dean slightly.

“You misunderstood my meaning,” he said slowly, his eyes focused on Dean. “I didn’t apologize for not joining you. I apologized that I did not give you reason to stay.”

Dean opened his mouth and closed it again realizing he had no response.


	7. Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Cas looked down at his hands and back up at Dean, softening his expression. “I’m sorry. The last few years haven’t been easy.” He gave Dean a slight smile and stepped forward, offering Dean his hand. “I’m happy to see you, Dean.”

Dean looked at him oddly before he pulled Cas in for a tight hug. Castiel lifted his arms up slowly to return the hug and he closed his eyes. When they broke apart, Dean was smiling gently.

“Still got that tinman exterior, Cas,” he said with a crooked smile.

“Yeah, yeah, there might be a heart in here somewhere,” Cas replied, relishing the return to the comfortable banter that had punctuated every significant part of his childhood.

Castiel looked at Dean again, daring to soften his heart for just a moment. Dean looked well, and he wore his uniform proudly, something Cas had never seen in Dean before: pride in himself. His hair was short and his skin was paler than it had been when they’d spent every moment in the sweltering and magnified heat of Terra. Dean was taller too, a few inches taller than Cas but not by much.

Cas reached down to the ground beside him and grabbed two beers. The warm air had already caused large droplets of water to form around the glass bottles. He tossed one over to Dean who caught it and looked at him hesitantly.

"What, the military doesn't allow you to drink?" Cas asked.

Dean rolled his eyes and relaxed slightly as he twisted the cap off and walked slowly over to where Cas was standing. He leaned back against the barn as he took a long sip of his beer. Cas tried not to watch him as Dean's eyelids fluttered closed and his lips wrapped around the bottle tip.

"So, what have you been up to?" Dean asked nonchalantly. Cas knew him better than that. He wanted Dean to say it, to ask him why he didn't get accepted into the Celsphere military program. But he also knew Dean would never do that either; direct conversation was never his style.

"Working," Cas replied, the only logical answer although it seemed like every question between was just a step away from opening Pandora’s box.

Dean slid his eyes to the side to give Cas a strange look. "You've been making stuff I hear. Useful stuff."

"I take it you mean my weather detector."

"That shit is better than our newest military gear, Cas," Dean paused and began to speak quieter as he held his beer just inches from his mouth. "I'm proud of you."

Cas took a deep breathe and allowed himself to smile. "I simply modified existing hardware, Dean," he replied as he felt the tips of his ears get warm. He took another drink from his beer and looked over at Dean.

"I take it your girlfriend was surprised to find we had any advanced tech on Terra," he said coolly as he tried not to picture the way Dean had comfortably draped his arm across her shoulders. He didn't have the right to feel so possessive; in fact he never did. Cas looked over at Dean only to find a wide grin on his face.

"Are you talking about Charlie, my navigator?"

"I haven't seen you draped over any other girl since you got here," Cas replied, his eyes narrowed.

Dean burst out laughing, spilling some beer on the ground. "Oh, man, Cas. Yeah, you've got that kinda wrong." Dean stopped abruptly and rubbed at his chin in awkward silence. "Charlie is kind of…playing for the other team? However that saying goes."

Cas tried to keep the grin from his face and shook his head at the irony. He wanted to ask Dean if he intentionally befriended homosexuals or if they just sought him out. Instead, he took a long sip of his beer.

"That is...interesting." Cas eventually said.

"Shit though, you can't tell anyone."

"I'm the last person who would ever do that, Dean."

Dean nodded and rubbed his fingers idly along the top of his beer bottle. "Yeah, I know. It's just harsh military regulations and all, you know?"

"The rules don't just apply to the military, Dean. They apply to everyone," Cas replied in a small whisper.

Cas watched Dean closely as his eyes looked away in the distance. The sun caught his eyes, making the green stand out vibrantly. Castiel tried to ignore that as well, but he found himself unable to stop staring; a trait Dean had gotten used to while they were growing up. A strange look crossed Dean’s face and Cas tilted his head at him.

Dean sighed and looked at the watch on his arm. "I should get back." He tipped back his head and finished off his beer. "Thanks, Cas," he said as he held up his empty bottle towards him.

Cas could only nod as he finished his own drink and remembered he had something to give Dean.

He pulled out a small folded piece of paper and handed it to Dean. "Can you give this to Sam for me?"

Dean blinked a few times in surprise before a small smile crossed his face. "Sure, Cas. Not a problem."

"I see you still have a little bit of a rule-breaking streak in you," Cas mused with a laugh, "The military didn't weed that out of you yet?"

"Oh they're tryin', don't worry," Dean said with a wink as he started to head towards the trail back to town. He waved back at Cas who couldn't help the small flutter of affection in his chest. He watched until Dean was out of sight before he leaned back and ran his hands through his hair.

He knew it was a mistake. In fact, everything about that was a mistake; from the way he still looked at Dean after all these years and the note he'd asked Dean to give to Sam. It was all forbidden and yet he had simply asked, and Dean had said yes.

He’d been so afraid that Dean would be someone completely different, that he’d treat Cas differently and the man who he’d once called his best friend would return as a stranger. The truth had been a shocking surprise and while Cas had initially put up walls to protect himself, Dean had done what he was best at—broken them down.

Cas let out a loud sigh as he pulled open the barn doors and got to work.

 

*****

 

The sun was setting by the time Castiel started on his trek back to his small house. He took the shortcut past Bobby’s place and waved at Bobby a he went, but he kept to himself. Part of him felt guilty for taking up all of Dean’s time when he was sure Bobby would have liked to see him too. No doubt, Bobby was aware that Dean had flown a delivery into town that day.

“You eaten any dinner yet?” Bobby called out to Cas.

“Not yet,” Cas replied with a smile as he tipped his head slightly to decline Bobby’s implied offer. Bobby just shook his head and looked back down at the book he had been reading.

The walk wasn’t far, just a bit past Jody’s place. The house had been cheap, and he hadn’t needed anything large. Bobby and Ellen, the local bar owner, had helped chip in a bit to pay for it when Cas bought it last year. He’d been sure to pay them back; slowly but steadily. Cas grinned as he got close and saw Anna sitting on the front porch, her legs idly kicking at the dirt.

Her red hair stood out vibrantly against the fresh white paint and green shutters. As Castiel got closer, she looked up and grinned. “Hey, Cas. Where have you been?”

“Sorry, Anna. I didn’t realize you were stopping by today,” he apologized.

“I knew you were hoping to talk to Dean so I thought you might need company,” she said with a shrug. “I saw him head out hours ago.”

“I had some work to do.”

“It’s almost done right?” she said, her eyes widening in excitement.

Cas stepped up to unlock his door as he spoke to her. “Almost. I’ve got a few modifications to make, but yes, almost done.”

She stepped in behind him and took a seat on one of the stools at the kitchen bar. She pulled her bag on the counter next to her and pulled out two sub sandwiches. “Ellen sent these over.”

Suddenly hungry, Cas grabbed one with a wide smile. He wasn’t the most culinary person so it was fairly often that Ellen and Jody sent food over to him, and Bobby who invited him over at night for dinner. Sometimes it was because Bobby needed the company, and sometimes it was because Cas did; truthfully they both usually did.

Anna unwrapped hers and took a big bite. For such a small person, she had a voracious appetite. She often told people that being sick all the time meant she had to eat extra to keep up her strength. Her wide blue eyes stood out starkly against her pale skin and bright red hair. She was one of Cas’ co-workers and despite having not talked to her much in school, they became fast friends.

Cas took a large bite of his sub as he took a seat at the stool next to Anna. “These are delicious. I’m glad I don’t have to cook tonight,” he admitted.

“Me too,” Anna said with a laugh as she eyed his always near-empty refrigerator. She finished her food quickly and stood up to grab a glass of water, opening the cabinets comfortably. She still lived with her parents and their relationship was tenuous at best, so she spent a lot of time at Castiel’s house instead.

She leaned against the counter as she looked at Cas, eyeing him carefully. “Are you going to show Dean?”

“Show him what?” Cas replied, his mouth full.

“The plane, obviously.”

“Oh,” Cas paused and looked down at his last bite of food. “I haven’t decided.”

“Does that mean it didn’t go well today?”

“No. In fact, it probably went better than I expected. It would have gone better if I had approached it with a more positive attitude.”

“Ever the pragmatist.”

Cas shrugged, “I blame him for things I should not. That’s not pragmatic at all.”

Castiel watched as Anna bit her lip for a moment. “Did he take your letter for Sam?”

He contemplated lying for a moment, knowing her penchant for the rules, but he decided against it; he’d never been successful with lies. “He did.”

Anna let out a small huff. “I mean, he never really cared for rules anyway, but I have to remind you that I’d strongly advised against it. I hope it doesn’t get him, Sam…or you into trouble.”

Cas tried to hold back the urge to roll his eyes and instead finished the last bite of his food. “It’s alright, Anna. It’s only a request for an old design.” Castiel shrugged slightly as he stood up and stretched. “I’d make an argument about free trade of information for all of us, but I know it would be an exercise in futility.”

Anna rolled her eyes in response as she checked her watch. “Okay, Castiel,” she chided gently. “I am glad you are fine and that your meeting with Dean went well.” She ran her hands through her hair and sighed. “I’ll see you at work tomorrow?”

Cas nodded and walked her back towards the front door. He patted Anna’s back gently, “Thank you for visiting and bringing dinner.”

“Anytime,” she replied as she stepped outside. His porch light flickered on and he watched her as she walked back towards the main road. Once she disappeared from sight, he walked back inside and shut the door, leaning against it.

He took a deep breath before he walked back towards the small bedroom at the back of the house. He’d been lucky to get a place that had two rooms; one he could use as a study. The house was still mostly bare and bereft of much furniture but it suited him well.

Cas slipped out of his clothing quickly and fell down onto his mattress face first. The day had been entirely overwhelming and full of apprehension. His mind drifted back to Dean and the easy smile that had crossed his lips. Cas envied Dean slightly, just as he’d envied Charlie. He rolled onto his back and stared blankly towards the ceiling, waiting for sleep to claim him amidst the warmth that filled his chest every time his thoughts drifted back towards his old friend.


	8. Goodbye Blues

Dean tossed one more shirt into his small duffel bag and stopped to glance around his room for a last time. He ran his fingers along the wooden shelves above his bed where various knick-knacks had sat gathering dust for years. A few comic books, an old rock collection, and a hoard of paper planes from Cas that Dean could never bring himself to throw away.

He sighed and picked up his duffel bag, hoisting it securely onto his shoulder. He glanced at the small clock on his nightstand. He had some time still before the ceremony. Dean could hear Sammy downstairs laughing in the kitchen amongst the clanking of pots and pans. Dean knew that any minute now Bobby would holler for him and tell him to hurry up.

Dean stepped out into the hallway, shutting his bedroom door quietly behind him. Sam's room was next to his; a bit smaller and more cluttered but it felt like his brother. The room's calming beige walls reminded him of the summer they'd spent picking out new paint. Dean had insisted that blue was the best color while Cas had told Sam to pick whatever color he wanted.

As his shoes scuffed softly along the wooden floor, Dean ran his fingers carefully along the wooden walls of the small hallway. He breathed in deeply and inhaled the scent of his home; not quite the same one he'd had when his mother had been alive, but his home nonetheless. It smelled like home cooked meals that never came out perfect, and oil and grease that Bobby happened to wipe on rags that littered the hallways before they made their way to the basement to be washed.

He opened Sam's door, listening to the familiar creak of it. Sam's room was a mess as usual, littered with books and diagrams for God-knows-what. Dean walked over to Sam's dresser where a few paper airplanes covered the surface. Dean presumed them to be more nerdy letters between Sam and Cas, or maybe some evil plot of a new prank against him. Dean felt a pang in his heart as he realized the three of them wouldn't be together again for some time. At best, he expected Sam to get into the accelerated program and join him and Cas at Celsphere in two years. At worst, it could be four before Sam turned eighteen and was accepted.

Dean looked around the room once more, fighting the urge to stay put and grow roots on Terra. He looked back at the paper planes on Sam's dresser and smiled. If he had to leave, he was glad to be doing it with Cas. Without his best friend, Dean was positive he would have never even made it into the program. It had started out as pipe-dream between them as children. Back before Dean realized his dad never moved to Celsphere; he just bailed on his family and drank himself to death. Back before Cas' uncle abandoned him too; leaving him on Terra just before he turned eighteen. Dean let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding.

Sometimes saying goodbye was complicated.

Dean hoisted his bag back on his shoulder and stepped out of Sam's room, giving it one last wistful glance. He took his time getting downstairs, checking the bathroom and his room again for anything he didn't want to forget. He knew the rules; one duffel bag of personal belongings. He wondered briefly if Cas was having the same problem packing; probably not.

"Dean," a voice hollered from downstairs.

He tipped his head back in resignation. Of course his brother was going to keep him running on time or early. He trudged down the stairs and his eyes widened as he spotted a large piece of pie on a plate for him.

He clutched his heart in a mock gesture as a wide grin spread across his face. “Pie for breakfast? I must have died and gone to heaven.”

Bobby clapped him on his shoulder and ushered him to his seat next to Sam. “It ain’t like your mom’s but that’s the closest we’re gonna get, right Sam?”

Sam smiled and nodded but his eyes looked sad even as he took a bite of pie. Dean didn’t want to talk to about it, in fact he really hated any sort of goodbye so it was easier to pretend they’d all be seeing each other again soon.

Dean took a large bite of pie and his eyes fluttered closed in pleasure. It was a little overcooked and the crust was a bit too hard but it was just what he needed. He looked over at Bobby at the seat next to him who was looking at him in contemplation.

“Sure wish we could write you, find out how you’re doing,” he said.

Dean shrugged as he stuffed more food into his mouth. “Them’s the rules I guess.” He paused for a moment as the realization began to sink in even more. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted his duffel bag dropped at the kitchen entrance. The last few bites of pie were a struggle as he tried not to get choked up over leaving.

When he’d finished, he looked at Sam and Bobby again who were dressed in their nicest clothing. Bobby’s best wasn’t fancy by any standards but Dean appreciated the effort; clean pressed blue jeans and a dark maroon shirt instead of a dirty plaid over a t-shirt. Sam wore black slacks and a white button-down that he had tucked in. His hair was neatly combed and despite the length, he looked nice. Dean felt another swell of emotion as he looked at his younger brother.

He pulled Sam towards him and tousled his hair slightly as he tried to hide the mist in his eyes.

“Hey! Dean, cut it out. I dressed up for your event,” Sam whined as his hands flew up to smooth down his hair.

“Not because that blonde girl in your class will be there. Nothing like that right?”

Sam glared at Dean before he wrapped his thin arms around Dean, hugging him tightly. “I’m going to miss you; even if you are annoying.”

Dean returned the hug, closing his eyes briefly. When they parted, he pulled Bobby into a hug as well. He figured better do it here rather than at the ceremony with a million people around. “Thank you for everything, Bobby,” Dean whispered.

Bobby smiled, his eyes crinkled in the corners and his eyes twinkling. “I’m proud of you, son,” he paused, “Just don’t forget us while you’re living up there.”

“Never.”

The walk to the school seemed to go by all too quickly. The clouds above threatened rain and Dean kept turning around to look towards the large lone house at the opposite end of town, high above on its own lonely hill. He hadn’t talked to Cas since their full test results arrived a few days ago; they’d been put into two separate groups and somehow everything had been too much of blur since then. Dean knew without a doubt that Cas had aced his tests, but he had hoped they’d find one another before the ceremony.

The school entrance was decorated in red, white, and blue ribbons and Dean knew a large transport plane was waiting for them by the food and water warehouses. The decorations were light and a small table of snacks was pushed against one of the walls. Dean checked his bag with the other students as they entered. Dean looked around the crowded room, hoping to spot a mess of dark hair and blue eyes. He sighed as Bobby pushed him along towards their seats. Not many students from Terra got accepted into the Celsphere program, so only a handful of seats were lined in rows before the podium at the center of the auditorium.

Dean looked around again, surprised by the amount of military personnel who lined the entrances. A lot of the town people were there, whether or not they had kids who were graduating. They were a small town and most people knew each other. Dean smiled as he spotted Ellen and her daughter Jo settle in beside Bobby and Sam.

The seats all had name cards attached to the back and Dean found his quickly but hesitated before taking his seat. Every time the doors opened, he whipped his head around quickly looking for Cas. He checked his watch again and his heart began to speed up. He contemplated running; he thought about running to Cas’ place quickly to see if he was okay. Dean’s anxiety built as each second ticked by. Nervously, he began to check the name tags on the seats, much to the annoyance of his classmates who glared at him. A few asked him where Cas was and he knew the apprehension was obvious on his face every time he shrugged in return. He couldn’t find a seat with Cas’ name on it.

Dean looked back towards his family and noticed that they too were looking around for Cas, their heads turning in each direction. Dean inhaled sharply as he decided to leave to find Cas, but the doors suddenly closed and a man walked up to the podium. One of Dean’s classmates hissed at him to sit down, and Dean obliged. He was stuck.

The ceremony was quick as a man named Ezekiel introduced himself. “I’m the Tron Corporation representative, and I’m here to congratulate each and every one of you.” Dean tried not to roll his eyes at the man, trying so hard to sound like a leader. His speech praised the various aspects of the military and the inventions brought to fruition thanks to the financial support of his company. Dean blocked out most of the speech as he kept turning around in his seat hoping to see his friend.

Dean was startled by sudden clapping and snapped his eyes back forward as the ceremony ended. His classmates quickly scattered to say their last goodbyes before the military would usher them out towards their new lives. Dean jumped to his feet and sprinted towards Bobby and Sam.

“Do you know where he is? He was supposed to be here,” he said, his voice raised a bit too loud.

“Dean, I don’t know where he is. I promise you, I will check on him right after this.”

“What if he’s hurt? I mean, Zach left him in that huge house by himself. He should be here. I need him to be here, Bobby,” Dean admitted, his first real acknowledgement of his fear and reluctance to leave.

“We’ll get it sorted out, boy. He’ll be on the next ship up, no worries,” Bobby said as he clamped Dean on the shoulder, turning him around to face an approaching military guard. “I think it’s time to go.”

 

*****

 

Dean rolled over in his bed and looked at Sam as he flung a paperclip at his brother. The first one landed on Sam's bed and went without notice, so Dean reached towards his desk and grabbed another one; aiming for Sam's head. He had been back for a week without any new orders and Dean was beginning to go stir crazy. He told himself that it had nothing to do with Cas and the dreams he kept having about him, or the way he imagined Cas' gentle smile every time he thought he was going to get his orders to return to Terra.

With a flick of his wrist, he propelled his next paperclip perfectly, smacking Sam right on the nose. Sam looked up from his book with annoyance, his eyes giving a stern warning. Being cooped up had made Dean irritable and in turn, it had affected Sam as well. When Dean had returned, he'd done as he'd promised Cas and given Sam the note from him. Dean thought his annoyance might also have something to do with his endless curiosity as to what in hell Cas could have written to Sam, and perhaps also a tinge of jealousy.

"I'm trying to study, Dean. Can you entertain yourself somewhere else?"

Dean sighed and rolled over onto his back, his hands tucked behind his head as he stared at the ceiling. He wanted to ask, it would be so simple, he thought. Hey Sam, what did Cas' note say? It would be as simple as that. But he knew it wasn't that simple, and truthfully he'd noticed the surprised look on Sam's face when Dean had given him the letter.

It was breaking all sorts of violations, and Sam had never once volunteered information on Cas, and likewise, Dean had never asked. It was an unspoken rule between them that had somehow grown amidst the pain and anger Dean had formed towards Castiel when he'd first arrived at Celsphere alone and then spent weeks waiting and hoping it had been a mistake.

Sam snapped his book shut and stood up to stretch. He tossed a paperclip back at Dean and gave him an odd look. "What's eating you? You've been annoying, well extra annoying, lately."

Dean rolled over and lazily turned his gaze towards his brother. "Just bored, s'all," he replied nonchalantly.

"Right," Sam said as he rolled his eyes. "Well, Reina's coming over in a bit to hang out."

"Ohhh, " Dean said, a grin spreading across his face. "Should I leave you two alone?"

"We're just friends, Dean," he said as he smoothed his hair down. "People can be just friends," he said as he gave Dean a smug look.

A knock on the door interrupted Dean from replying with a witty comment. Sam opened the door and was bombarded as Charlie shoved her backpack into his arms and hurried past him. Dean sat up and smiled with amusement. This wasn't the first time Charlie had snuck some alcohol into their room to share, although it was her first time bringing a friend. Charlie caught Dean's eye and grinned.

"Dean, this is Dorothy, and vice-versa. This guy over here," she rubbed his head gently, "is Sam."

Dean stood up and gave her his most charming smile. She had thick brown hair that was pulled into a loose ponytail, blue eyes, and full lips that were currently smirking at him.

"I've heard a lot about you," she said, a glimmer in her eye.

"All good things I hope?" He replied with a laugh as he looked over at Charlie and gave her a thumbs up.

"Dorothy's a pilot too, in Theta Squad," Charlie explained as she took her bag from Sam's arms.

"Captain Walker is a hard-ass I hear."

Dorothy nodded as she sat next to Charlie on Sam's bed. "He is, but he's not the worst," she said with a shrug.

Sam stood awkwardly by Dean's bed, his own bed suddenly inhabited by two women. Another knock at the door made them all jump as Charlie’s hands quickly shoved a large bottle back inside her bag.

Sam swung the door open and greeted his friend Reina with a smile. "Perfect timing," he said, shutting the door quickly behind her.

After quick introductions were made again, Charlie motioned towards the floor. "We should all sit here, I have a new game for us to try."

Dean groaned as he slipped off his bed onto the floor. "If this is another nerdy trivia game, I swear-"

"Shh, trust me, it's not," Charlie shushed. "It's a drinking game." She paused and tilted her head to the side as she looked upwards. "Well, I suppose it doesn't have to be but it will be more fun."

"Every game's a drinking game if you do it right," Dean said with a grin as he grabbed at the bottle she had set on the ground beside him. From her bag, he pulled a few shot glasses out and passed them around. Everyone had followed Charlie's orders and they sat in a circle on the floor. Sam and Reina next to one another, then Dean, then Charlie and Dorothy.

Charlie pulled out her handheld device, and pressed a few buttons. Dean watched as Sam eyed it. Dean knew that Sam wanted one, and he hoped to surprise him for his birthday. Despite them being expensive and the work it took to register them, Dean hoped he’d have enough saved by then. Dean also knew that while Charlie could probably afford it, hers was illegal and unregistered, and she'd hacked it to do all sorts of things. Not that any of it caused much harm; she mostly coded silly holographic games for her friends to play.

Her device whirred to life and the image of a ball popped up, no longer than two-inches in diameter. Dean raised his eyebrow at Charlie in a questioning gesture.

"Ok, I call this game Face-Ball." Charlie ignored the look on Dean's face, "I know, whatever, the name needs work. But you'll see why it's called that."

Sam's friend Reina leaned forward with interest and pushed gently at the holographic ball, causing it to roll towards Dean. He tipped backwards in surprise, as he hadn't expected the object to be so maneuverable.

Charlie beamed in excitement at Reina. "You game?" she asked.

Reina laughed and nodded her head. "Here and there. I'm in engineering, but I've always loved tech and programming as well."

"She kicks my butt in chess," Sam said with a grin.

Charlie leaned forward and reset her game, allowing the ball to float once again in the middle of their small circle. "I'll need you each to sit as evenly placed as possible," she said as she motioned for Dean to scoot towards the right slightly. "Otherwise this happens," she said as she smacked the ball with her hand and it went flying towards a wall behind Reina and exploded in a million pixels as it hit the wall.

"I only set it to move in straight vectors for now," she shrugged. "It's a work in progress."

"That is so cool," Reina said as she beamed at Sam.

Dean smiled widely because he had to also admit, it was very cool. He watched as Dorothy grinned at Charlie as she poured them all drinks while Charlie explained the game. It seemed simple enough. The ball traveled in a straight line,and players attempted to hit it at someone else in the group. If they didn’t deflect it, they lost a point and the person who hit it gained one.

Charlie spent a few minutes inputting each of their names and pointing her device at them. Numbers appeared above their heads, each starting with ten points. "After a few rounds, we'll go to phase two where we move in closer. The game gets harder the closer we sit to one another."

"And the more drinks we have," Dean said as he held up his shot glass for Dorothy to fill.

"That's the plan," Dorothy said as she filled Dean's cup.

Dean knocked back his drink quickly, savoring the heavy burn in his throat. It wasn't like drinking Bobby's homemade beers. This was hard alcohol and, although it was different, he enjoyed it equally.

"Are the kids drinking?" Charlie asked Dean.

Dean shrugged. He didn't mind if Sam wanted to. They'd grown up splitting beers stolen from Bobby's cooler outside before Bobby gave up and had gotten them both so hammered that they'd sworn off beer for a whole summer. Dean knew Sammy could handle his liquor, and his friend seemed to be nearly as well versed as Charlie in the underground illegal dealings on Celsphere. True to his initial thought, Reina grabbed the bottle from next to Dorothy and poured it into her shot glass and downed it before refilling it again.

"I can hold my liquor," she said with a grin.

They took turns filling their glasses as they drank, giggling and laughing at one another. The game became increasingly harder, and after a while the ball kept simply exploding against the wall so often that the numbers above their heads diminished quickly until they were all in the negatives.

Dean's head began to swim slightly and his arms felt heavy as he leaned back against his bed, his legs sprawled out straight in front of him as he sat on the floor. He looked over towards Sam who was looking at Reina with drunk eyes, his long hair a mess. True to her word, Reina looked like she could indeed hold her liquor. Her dark curls hung messily around her head as she reset the game once more.

"How did you get the ball to react to varying amounts of force?" Reina asked lazily as she touched the holographic ball and rolled it slightly towards Dean.

Charlie tipped her head back and rolled her head around, the alcohol clearly affecting her. “Force equals mass times acceleration. I gave the ball a set mass which was the easy part," Charlie wrinkled her nose and rubbed at her hair. "Shit, I'm really drunk," she giggled. "Acceleration was found by the change in velocity over the change in time from point A to point B, thus the reason the ball only moves in straight lines along certain vectors."

Dorothy grinned and draped her arm over Charlie's shoulders. "Even drunk, she sounds like a genius," she said as she looked at Charlie warmly. Dean narrowed his eyes slightly and realized that although he hadn't been trying very hard to express any direct interest in Dorothy, her disinterest in him was directly proportional to her interest in Charlie.

Sam caught Dean's eye and an odd expression crossed Dean's face. Despite having a fun time with his friends, he suddenly felt a stark absence in his life. It was like a Cas-shaped hole had wormed itself into his life ever since he’d seen him again. The sudden loneliness hit him like a ton of bricks, and perhaps it was accentuated by the strong alcohol flowing through his veins or his friends who were paired off in front of him. He realized with sudden painful clarity just how much he missed his best friend.

"Why are you making that face?" Sam asked, interrupting Dean's thoughts.

"I'm not making any face."

"Yes, you are," Sam replied, slurring his words. "You've been moping around all week."

A tiny thread of anger flared up inside Dean and he moved to sit on the top of his bed. Reina pretended to play with her hair and Dorothy stood up to go to the bathroom.

"Drop it, Sam." Dean warned.

Charlie turned around and looked at Dean, narrowing her eyes. "You've been especially sour this week. Is it because you saw your friend? Cas?"

"Dean's doing what he's best at," Sam said, allowing the alcohol in his system to decreases his inhibitions. Sometimes Dean hated when Sam drank. "Avoiding talking about his feelings."

"What feelings?" Dean asked bitterly.

"Dean saw Cas last week and he shows up here all mopey."

"I'm not moping," Dean corrected. "I'm just bored."

Sam threw his arms in the air and scooted closer to Reina, draping his arm around her. "It's pointless," he told her. She simply nodded and began to speak quietly to Sam, distracting him from his tirade at Dean.

Dean looked down at his hands and sighed. He knew Sam was right, and it scared him how easily he could find himself slipping in between both words; his past and his present. It left him jetlagged and unsure of where he truly belonged, as if he was destined to always feel a pull elsewhere. Just when he’d found his footing on Celsphere, he’d been dropped back on Terra where the sights, sounds, and smells were so familiar that he found himself missing it far too often than was healthy.


	9. Changes

Dean grasped his brother’s hand tightly in his own as they walked the cross-town hike towards Cas’ house. Bobby didn’t usually let them go alone but Dean had finally convinced him they were old enough.

Sam scrambled along beside Dean, his pace slowing as they walked further. They had met Cas earlier in the summer and since then had spent nearly every day with him. When Cas didn’t show up that morning, Dean had begged to go see if he was alright.

Cas’ uncle lived in a large house on the outskirts of town and Dean had only been there a few times; mostly to help Bobby deliver items he’d fixed up for Zachariah. Cas’ uncle wasn’t the nicest guy and Bobby tried to minimize the time they spent with him.

Cas didn’t say much about living with his uncle, but he’d told Dean that it was unpleasant, which Dean realized meant that Cas hated it. Dean looked over at his brother and smiled as he noticed Sam’s shoelace was untied.

“Sammy, your shoe is untied,” he said as he pulled his brother towards a fencepost along the dirt road. “Sit here.” Dean patted the top railed and watched as his brother scrambled up it and stuck out his foot for Dean. Dean grinned and pulled Sam’s leg onto his lap as he set his foot against the fencepost.

“Dean, why does Cas live with his uncle? Did his parents leave him too?”

Dean looked back at his brother in surprise. They didn’t talk about it very often and Dean wasn’t sure if his brother even remembered their mom. Their dad had taken off sometime last winter. He’d told Dean to watch out for his brother, and then he’d tousled Dean’s hair and that had been it. They hadn’t seen him for six months.

“Do you remember Mom?” Dean asked quietly.

Sam chewed on his bottom lip and squeezed his eye shut tight as he concentrated. “I don’t know,” he finally said with a shrug.

Dean looked at the ground, he figured Sam wouldn’t remember her. He was only a few months old when she died. “She didn’t leave us. She wouldn’t have ever left us, Sammy. She just got sick.”

“And it made Daddy sad,” Sam said with a nod. “Bobby said that’s why he drinks a lot.”

Dean took a deep breath. “We should keep going,” he said as he grabbed his brother and helped him down from the fencepost.

They walked a bit further before Sam stopped again, pulling tightly at Dean’s hand. “Do you think Daddy will come back soon?”

Dean rubbed at the hair on his head as he tried to think of a good answer. “Maybe,” he replied with a smile. “I think he went to the city in the sky and he’ll come back for us one day.”

“Will Cas’ parents?”

His eyes squinted slightly as he thought about what Cas had told him. Cas had never known his parents, he’d been raised in an home for kids without parents until his uncle took him in.

“I don’t think so, Sammy.”

Sam nodded and grabbed at Dean’s hand again, squeezing tightly. “We’ll be his family then.”

*****

Dean swung his head from side to side and his eyes navigated the tarmac looking for a familiar set of blue eyes. Next to him, Charlie was fiddling with her weather meter and making little "tsk" noises as she shook it several times.

They followed Jody, who was there to greet them both with a smile when they landed. She tipped her head at various people she passed; everyone loved sheriff Mills. Dean sped up when he realized that Cas was nowhere to be seen. He strode alongside Jody in wide, confident steps as she looked over their paperwork. He held back the urge to ask her where Cas was, and instead remembered he hadn't even asked her about her family in any of his numerous visits back to Terra.

"So Jody, how's Owen? That little kid should be how old now?"

Jody gave him a strange look and shook her head as she looked away in the distance. Dean could see it now, the weariness on her otherwise youthful face. He could see it in the way she only half smiled sometimes as if even that was an impossible task. His mouth turned dry and he suddenly didn't want to hear it.

"Dean, I lost them both two years ago," she turned and put her hand on his shoulder. "You couldn't have known, I know." She sighed deeply. "It's just me now."

Dean caught Charlie's eye behind Jody. She was already misting up and Dean fought the urge to hug both of them tightly. He already knew how Charlie struggled with her mom's lifelong illness and recent death. He regretted dragging them into this conversation and he looked down at his feet.

"I'm so sorry, Jody. I had no idea," he mumbled quietly.

Jody squeezed his shoulder and gave him a small smile. "It's ok, Dean. It’s the usual story here, contaminated water, same thing as your mom." She said with a shake of her head as her eyes looked far away.

Dean looked down at his shoes and bit down hard on his bottom lip. It was the reason he chose his job, to keep the people on Terra from having to go through what his family did. Jody squeezed his arm gently and motioned for him to follow her.

As they reached the inside office, Jody held the doors open for both of them and ushered them in. Charlie wiped quickly at her eyes and returned to her normal smiling disposition.

"I think it's supposed to storm today, Jody. Would it be alright if I stayed with you again?" Charlie asked, shaking her weather meter a few more times as it briefly lit up and died again.

"That piece of junk is barely working," Dean said with a shrug as he looked at the device in Charlie's hands. "I'm sure the ones you have here have already gone off and notified you."

Jody nodded her head as she handed them a clipboard to sign. "Certainly did. I've got the extra bedroom already set up for Charlie."

"Thank you," Charlie said with a warm smile.

"I've got more paperwork here to do but you two can head on home. Storm's a few hours out but you can never be too safe."

"See you later, Jody," Dean said as he gave her a small smile. Inside, his stomach still clutched and turned. He'd missed a lot while he'd been gone but it had somehow felt like not that much had changed. Maybe Cas was a little rougher around the edges. Dean followed Charlie outside onto the main dirt road and trudged behind her quietly.

"Why didn't you tell me she had a husband and a kid?" Charlie asked.

"I figured you'd met them, no big deal. I meant to ask but I just kept forgetting." Dean didn’t say how guilty he felt for getting so wrapped up in his own life.

Dean kicked at the gravel on the ground, not caring about the dirt on the tips of his black boots. Charlie nudged him in the ribs and gave him a small smile. "Dean, whatever happened, it isn't your fault. You look like you're blaming yourself for something."

"I just didn't realize how much had changed."

"You've been gone years, silly. Of course some things have changed."

Dean's stomach turned in knots and he began to worry about what other unseen changes had crept into his old life on Terra. The thought terrified him and he longed for the familiarity of Celsphere and the easy way of detaching yourself from any emotions while there. Terra seemed to have the opposite effect, dredging up old injuries and new ones.

Charlie gave him another look but didn't press him. "Here, maybe Bobby can take a look at this? You said he's good with this stuff right?"

"Yeah," Dean said absently as he took the weather meter from her hands.

"I'll have to meet him sometime," Charlie mused, "You've talked a lot about him and you barely mention anyone from here."

"Next time," Dean said with a smile.

"I'm holding you to that, Winchester," Charlie said as they reached the fork in the road. "I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"Later, Bradbury," Dean said, a fake grin plastered on his face.

Not seeing Cas at the tarmac had been a disappointment and after a week and a half of being cooped up and anxious to fly again, he'd arrived only to feel as if he'd had the wind knocked out of him. He ran his hands through his hair as he walked briskly up the small hill towards his old childhood home.

He stepped inside and began removing his belt, hanging it from a chair in the kitchen as he unbuttoned the rest of his navy coat, which was stifling in the thick Kansas humidity. He could hear Bobby in the basement and he grinned as he heard the footsteps coming up the stairs.

Dean swung open the basement door right as Bobby reached the landing. "Surprise," he said with a smirk.

Bobby scowled at him, "Boy, you're gonna gimme a heart attack pulling stunts like that."

A small thread of relief pulsed through Dean as he grinned at Bobby. Bobby was one of the constants in Dean's life and he never seemed to change.

Bobby stepped past Dean into the kitchen as he wiped his hands on a rag from his back pocket. "Sorry, no fancy dinner for you this time," he told Dean with a shrug. "Work's been slow."

"Don't worry about it. I'll find something here," Dean said with a grin as he opened the fridge and grabbed a beer.

Bobby held his arm out and Dean grabbed him one too as they both sat at the table. Bobby wiped some stray grease from his cheek and rotated the old, worn cap on his head.

"How you been, Dean?"

Dean sipped his beer and allowed it to calm him. "Good," he lied.

"Uh huh," Bobby grunted. Dean let it slide.

The weather meter beeped in Dean's pocket and he pulled it out with an exasperated sigh. "This thing stopped working on our way here. Think you could take a look at it?"

Bobby grabbed it and pulled out a small pair of glasses from his front pocket. Dean blinked several times in surprise.

"Don't give me that look. I may be old but I'll still slap you upside the head," he said jokingly. Dean laughed in return but he made the silent notation of yet another small change he'd missed.

Bobby turned the instrument over a few times but didn't do much else. "I could do my best but Cas is your best option here. I fix up old electronics and vehicles but that boy is a whiz with all the newfangled tech that we shouldn't even have on Terra."

Dean took the device from Bobby and frowned slightly. He thought of the big house at the opposite side of town and wondered if Cas still lived there. After his uncle had bailed on him and left him there alone, Dean couldn't imagine living there.

"Is Cas still over at Zach's house?"

Bobby chuckled, "Heaven's no. It's been deserted for years; no one on Terra can afford it."

Dean nodded, wondering where in hell Cas lived. Bobby seemed to understand the questions Dean felt too awkward to ask.

"Cas has his own place, a few roads up. Remember Pamela?" Bobby asked. Dean nodded his head thinking back to one of Bobby's friends in childhood. "She moved and sold Cas her place for real cheap."

"That's great," Dean said with a smile.

"You better head out now though if you wanna catch him and get him to fix your gadget before the storm hits," Bobby said before he finished off his beer and stood up. "I'm gonna get to closing the windows."

"Sure, yeah, I'll do that," Dean said, stammering slightly. He gulped down the rest of his drink and stood up as well. "Be back before it gets dark," he said as he stepped out the door.

The walk to Cas' place seemed unnecessarily long and Dean could feel the anticipation building with each step. The clouds swirled overhead and he twirled the weather meter around in his hands as he walked. When he came to Cas' place, a small smile grew across his face.

 

*****

 

Sam pressed a few more keys on his keyboard and sighed loudly as he set his laptop beside him on the bed. Reina looked over at him from his desk and raised her eyebrows in a questioning manner.

“I’m trying to find some schematics and plans for something for a friend,” Sam said as he ran a hand through his long hair.

“Is this about that note Dean gave you from someone back on Terra?”

Sam narrowed his eyes and contemplated lying for a moment. It hadn’t seemed like a big deal at first, and he hadn’t even been surprised that Dean had done it for Cas either. However, the longer the note sat in the top of his desk drawer, the more it felt like a beacon for trouble. Sam raised his eyes towards Reina again and relaxed. She’d shared other large secrets with him, so he knew he could trust her.

“It’s from our friend, Cas, that we grew up with,” he said as he picked up his computer once again. “He asked for a simple schematic for a plane’s cockpit controls but I’m having trouble finding the directories and I’m sure I don’t have enough clearance for it anyway.”

Reina stood up and stretched before she padded over to Sam’s bed and sat down next to him. She looked at his screen in contemplation, her mouth closed in a tight line.

“I could try to get it for you. I mean, Charlie’s probably who you should ask but I don’t mind giving it a shot,” she said with a smile.

Sam handed over his laptop and watched as she balanced it on her knees, her uniform skirt wrinkled and messy beneath it. He shook his head and held back a chuckle. Reina received constant demerits for her uniform and other small broken rules but she was at the top of the class so it never really mattered. Her long fingers grazed over the keys quickly as she typed and she occasionally tapped on the screen, pulling up other folders and directories that Sam had never seen. He leaned over her shoulder as she worked and closed his eyes as he smelled the faint scent of lavender shampoo on her curly hair.

“I think I found it,” Reina said, turning to grin at Sam.

Sam sat back quickly, bumping his head against the wall behind him. He rubbed at his head as he looked over Reina’s shoulder at the computer screen.

“That took you like two minutes.”

She frowned slightly, “Well, I found where the file is but you were right...neither of us have the security clearance to access actual blueprints for any Tron Industries materials.”

Sam rolled his eyes, “Which is everything on Celsphere.”

“Exactly,” Reina said with a nod.

Sam sat back on his bed again, resting once again on the cool wall behind him. His eyes looked over again to his desk where the note from Cas was tucked away beneath his school books. He knew he should probably rip it up so he could stop worrying about someone finding it, but on the other hand he wanted to let Cas know that he wasn’t going to be able to send him the plans he asked for. Sam sighed loudly again.

Reina closed his laptop and pulled her legs up sitting crosslegged next to Sam. “Are you going to write back to your friend?”

“That’s illegal,” Sam said.

“So was Dean delivering it in the first place,” she shrugged her shoulders. “I mean, you know I won’t tell anyone and neither will Dean.”

“I guess,” Sam said quietly.

Reina turned and gave him an excited smile, “I just realized I could probably just ask Charlie to get us some fake clearance codes,” she paused as she thought to herself for a moment. “I mean, I know she does that stuff anyway and God knows what she does with the information she finds but it could definitely work.”

Sam sat up and smiled, “That would be awesome, and Charlie would totally do it for us too.”

“Then you won’t need to keep worrying about that letter tucked away in your drawer,” Reina said as she nudged Sam in the ribs.

“Hey! How did you know?”

“You keep looking over there like a bomb’s about to explode,” she said casually. “Also, I saw it when I borrowed your book yesterday to work on homework here while you were at the gym.”

Sam groaned, “Why don’t you hang out at your own dorm?”

“My roommate sucks.”

“Not a good excuse,” Sam said with a small grin as he knocked his shoulder against Reina’s.

She ran her hands threw her hair and pulled it back into a messy bun as she stood up. “Back to homework?”

“Astrophysics or Aerodynamics?”

“Can I say neither?” she said with a laugh as she sat back down at Sam’s desk.

“Aerodynamics it is then,” Sam suggested, knowing it was her better subject of the two.

 

*****

 

Dean slowed down to take in every small detail about Cas’ new house. It somehow seemed perfect for Cas, with the green shutters and white paint. The outside looked clean in stark contrast to the rest of Terra. A small line of flowers grew along the front of the house and a wind chime hung from the small awning over the front door.

His palms began to sweat slightly as he stopped in front of Cas’s door and hesitated for a moment before knocking. A few moments passed and Dean began to wonder if maybe Cas wasn’t even home. He knocked once more and began to turn around just as he heard Cas’ voice call from inside.

“Just a minute, please.”

Dean grinned and shook his head. Cas swung open the door a minute later, his wet hair dripping onto a plain white tee as he finished buttoning a pair of dark blue jeans. Dean suddenly felt slightly self conscious in his own clothing as he looked down and realized his shoes were dirty, he’d left his belt at Bobby’s, and his military coat was unbuttoned and flapped by his sides with every gust of wind.

“Dean,” Cas said as his eyes opened in surprise.

“Gonna invite me in?” Dean said as he attempted to keep the conversation light. He looked upwards at the darkening sky as a roll of thunder growled in the distance.

“Yes, sorry,” Cas said as he stepped aside to let Dean in.

Dean looked down at his shoes and Cas’ barefeet. “Should I take my shoes off, or--?”

“No, that’s fine,” Cas said with a wave of his hand. “Do you want anything to eat or drink?” He looked at Dean with a slightly confused look. Dean realized Cas was waiting for an explanation for his sudden arrival.

“Oh, sorry, no I am fine,” Dean said as he wondered how in hell things had become so awkward between them since the last time they spoke. “I was actually here to see if you could help me fix something,” Dean said as he pulled out his weather meter.

Cas’ face fell slightly and Dean mentally kicked himself for making it seem like he only wanted to see Cas for that reason. “I mean, I wanted to see you too, man,” he said with a smile. Crap. He’d somehow made that sound awkward too.

The sound of thunder outside startled them both and they grinned at one another, relaxing slightly. “Give me a minute to grab a few things from my study,” Cas said as he grabbed Dean’s weather meter and took it with him to a room somewhere further in the house.

Dean took the chance to glance around the small kitchen that was similar to Bobby's. Cas' house didn't have a second floor like Bobby's but it looked like he had plenty of space for what he needed.The kitchen didn't have room for a table in the center but there was a bar with a few stools. Dean poked his head around outside of the kitchen and saw a living room, again it was light on furniture like the kitchen, but it had a couch and a few other necessities.

A door in the hallway opened and Cas stepped out holding a few tools. Through the adjacent door, Dean could see the room behind Cas that certainly looked like a workplace. Large bookcases lined the walls and were overflowing with books and a desk faced the door but was covered in what looked like large papers. Cas' eyes met Dean's and he tilted his head to the side. "Would you like a tour?"

Dean flushed slightly but he couldn't mask his interest in the new life Cas had built for himself. "Yeah, that would be great, Cas."

"It isn't large, but it is home," Cas said gently.

Home. Dean felt a small pang of jealousy but he quickly brushed it off as he followed Cas towards the living room. Cas' bedroom was at the back of the house, tucked between the door to a small bathroom and steps to the basement, which were visible behind a curtain that was tied back against the door frame.

"I'm afraid I haven't had the time nor money to acquire a real door for the basement, so it doesn't quite serve it's purpose as a safe-haven in a storm," Cas said with a shrug.

"S'good to have a basement anyway," Dean said.

They retreated back towards the living area and Cas led Dean into his study. "This is where I really spent most of my time, so I apologize for the clutter."

Dean couldn't help the smile that spread across his face and the way his eyes widened as he looked around the room. The rest of the house was clean, almost un-lived in; but this room felt like Cas. There were more books in this one room than the school probably had, let alone paper copies and not digital. "Jeez," Dean said as he let out a small whistle.

He walked along the side of the room and ran a hand along the spines of the old books. He could tell some were very old, with titles that made no sense to him. "How did you get all these, Cas?"

Cas stepped behind his desk and shuffled a few papers, covering the large blueprint so that it was barely visible. "I did some traveling."

Dean turned back towards Cas, the surprise clearly evident on his face. "You traveled? That's dangerous for one thing, and illegal for another." The knowledge surprised Dean, that Cas had been outside of their small community. It was something Dean had always desired as well, not just to see Celsphere but to see more of the world.

"I felt it was necessary," Cas replied, dropping the subject. Outside, more thunder could be heard, a warning to the coming storm.

Dean’s fingers grazed over well-worn book that was familiar to him. He pulled it out and flipped through some of the pages as he shook his head. The Bible felt heavy in his hands, a testament to the power it held. The last war had been religious in nature, although that was just an excuse. Since then, most religions had ceased to exist minus one. Dean set the book down again with annoyance; he blamed it for the rigid rules they had to follow.

Cas shifted his balance from one foot to the other as he looked down at his desk, pausing for a moment before he finally spoke. "Dean, I asked Sam to obtain a piece of information for me and I've been worried that I overstepped my bounds."

Dean blinked a few times in surprise. That's why he's being so weird. He almost laughed at first but he quickly realized the implications of what Cas had asked Sam to do. His lips tightened and he glared at Cas in annoyance. "What did you ask him to get?"

"That's not of import," Cas said as he looked to the side.

With a loud exhale, Dean rolled his eyes. He'd forgotten how annoying it was to get information from Cas when Cas didn't feel like divulging it. He supposed they were similar in that way; they both had to decide to discuss matters in their own time.

"Well, you did overstep the boundaries or whatever." Dean regretted his words immediately as Cas' face fell. He clearly hadn't expected Dean to actually be angry at him. "Look, you can ask me if you need something but don't get Sam involved if it’ll get him in trouble," Dean said, hoping to fix the awkward tension that had fallen between them again.

"I understand, Dean. You work for the government now. You have your orders to follow."

Dean wanted to scream and tell Cas to stop acting like such an asshole. He wanted to say that things hadn't changed that much so to stop acting like they were barely more than strangers. "Seriously, Cas," he said with exasperation. "We all work for the government, remember."

Cas looked at him again and narrowed his eyes. "That's the problem."

Loud drops of rain began to fall and slam into the window as the storm started to rage around outside the house. Neither Dean nor Cas moved as they glared at one another. "So what, you're one of those rebel anarchists that wants to destroy the government or something?"

"You understand nothing, Dean," Cas said as he almost laughed to himself. "And no, I'm not an anarchist."

Anger began to boil beneath Dean's skin but before he could respond angrily, Cas sighed and dropped his head. "I just want to make things better for people here on Terra, that's all."

"Me too, Cas. That's why I chose this work. I want to help people."

Cas walked over to Dean and turned to look at his bookshelf. Despite his better instincts telling him to step back and give Cas more room, he stayed put, where he was close enough to smell Cas' cologne and see the small tendrils of hair that curled behind Cas' ear. Cas ran his fingers down the spines of several books before he found what he wanted.

"Here," he said as he handed a small book to Dean.

Dean took it and turned it over. The cover and spine had been blacked out with paint but a little white star was on drawn on the spine and on the front over. "What's this? Banned book?"

Cas nodded, "The star is for my own reference system." Dean grinned. Of course Cas had his own way of cataloguing his library of illegal materials. Charlie would absolutely love him.

"So you want me to read this?"

"That's typically what you do with books unless you are the government," Cas replied with a small smirk.

Dean stifled a chuckle and tucked the book beneath his arm. "You're real funny, Cas."

Cas shrugged as he stepped back from Dean and began to walk towards the living room. "I should get to work on your weather meter so that you can get back home before it gets too bad outside."

Dean didn't want to tell him that there was no way he was stepping foot outside in this rain, but he kept his mouth shut. It wasn't exactly easy talking to Cas, sometimes it felt like things were the same between them, and sometimes it felt like they were worlds apart. The book tucked beneath his arm was one indication of how far apart they really were. Dean wasn't sure he'd even be able to bring it back with him. Any plane could be randomly searched upon arrival and he was afraid of the ramifications of being caught with whatever book Cas had given him. He looked at it warily.

Cas led him to the living room where Dean dropped down onto the couch with a sigh. He hadn't realized he was so tired but the darkness outside made it harder to gauge the time. Cas took a seat on the floor so that he was level with his coffee table. He pulled out a few tools and an old schematic for a very outdated weather meter.

"Damn, Cas, that thing is old."

"Yes," Cas said with a sigh, "I am well aware."

"It's really cool how you can fix all this stuff--like Bobby," Dean said with a smile.

Cas shrugged, "I simply modify existing hardware. It's nothing revolutionary and nothing that Celsphere shouldn't already have."

"Hmm," Dean mumbled as he mulled over the thought. "Is this what you asked Sam for? Updated blueprints?"

"Something like that."

The fell into a comfortable silence as the rain fell steadily outside. Dean had forgotten how soothing a storm could be, particularly ones that weren't bad enough to make you run for shelter in the basement. Lightning illuminated the room every so often as Dean alternated between watching Cas work and nodding off slightly.

When he woke up, a warm blanket was draped over his shoulders and Cas was turning off the lights. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," he whispered.

"No, no that's okay. I didn't mean to fall asleep, Cas."

"I don't have an extra bedroom, is the couch okay?" Cas peered outside through his kitchen window and wandered back into the living room. "It doesn't look like you should go outside in this."

"Yeah, don't worry about it," Dean said as he tried to stifle a yawn.

"Goodnight, Dean," Cas said as he walked back towards his bedroom, also yawning. "Your weather meter is on the counter and should be working perfectly."

"Great, thanks, Cas," Dean said with a smile as he removed his shoes and uniform coat. He'd have to ask Cas about ironing his pants in the morning. "Hey, Cas?"

"Yes, Dean?"

Dean picked up the book that he'd set on the floor beside his boots. "What's this book called, do you know?"

" _1984_."


	10. Trouble

Charlie leaned back and sighed as she set her computer further back on her desk. “Your friend sure asks for a lot of confidential stuff, you know,” she said as she looked over her shoulder at Dean.

He had an earbud in one ear and was listening to one of Charlie’s old music devices, tapping his feet to the rhythm as he read the book Cas had given him weeks before. Dean opened one eye at her and closed it again. “If it’s too dangerous just tell me and I’ll tell him we couldn’t get it. No big deal.”

“It’s not that, I guess I’m just wondering…is it safe for you to be doing this?”

Dean give her a strange look and pulled the earbud out. “What do you mean by that?”

Charlie tipped back in her chair, stretching slightly. “I just hope that you know what he’s doing with this information.”

Dean shrugged, “He’s using it to update the tech on Terra. He just wants to help people.”

“I know that, I just want you to be careful, that’s all.” Charlie looked at the book in his hands. “Okay, a banned book on a private encrypted hard-drive that only you can access to read…that’s one thing. It’s a whole other matter to carry that book around, Dean.”

“I’m being careful, Charlie.”

The computer beeped and Charlie pulled out a small flash drive and handed it to Dean. “Well here’s a few of the things he asked for. I think Sam was working on getting some blueprints using the clearance card I gave him.”

Dean glared at her slightly. “I don’t know why you gave that to him. I trust that you know what you’re doing but Sam didn’t grow up with computers and all the fancy gadgets here. He’s good but not that good.”

“Hey, you tell him that. He’s as stubborn as you, ya know.”

Dean rolled slowly off her bed and yawned. With the summer rapidly approaching they’d been flying more often to deliver water to Terra. Sometimes Dean felt as if he spent more time on Terra than Celsphere. He’d be embarrassed to admit that much of time on Terra was spent with Cas; too much time.

“Ok, well I’ll see you early in the morning tomorrow. Thanks for this,” Dean said as he held up the flash drive and then tucked it safely in his pocket.

He walked back to his room, down the softly lit hallways of their sector. He thought about the book Cas had given him, and his reluctance to read it. It was taking him a long time to get through, a lot longer than it should but aspects of it shook him to his core. If he thought too long about it, he began to feel suspicious and paranoid about everything. He shook his head as he got closer to his room. Maybe Charlie was right, he should just give the book back and forget about it.

He listened briefly outside the door to make sure Sam wasn’t in there with Reina, and he slipped in quietly when he heard no noises. Only Sam’s lamp by his bed was on, and Sam was typing on his computer.

“Heya, Sammy.”

Sam looked up and grunted a hello before he looked back down at his computer.

“Homework?” Dean asked.

“Naw, looking at some of the files I was able to dig into with Charlie’s security clearance codes.”

Dean slipped out of his military sweatpants and sat on his bed in just his boxers and undershirt. All his worrying about being caught with illegal material had made him sweatier than usual despite the fact that Celsphere constantly blew cold air throughout. He crawled beneath his covers and turned to look over at his brother.

“Be careful, Sammy. I don’t want you getting in trouble.”

“I know, Dean,” Sam said as he rolled his eyes.

“Cas will understand if you can’t get something for him.”

“This isn’t for Cas. I’m just interested in it.”

Dean rolled onto his back and looked at the ceiling. “Don’t geek out too hard on it, little brother. That stuff’s all classified.”

“I’ll be fine,” Sam replied as he shut off his lamp.

In the darkness, Dean listened to the faint clicking of keys as Sam continued to type. Dean let out a huff of air and rolled back onto his stomach as sleep remained elusive.

“Do you ever miss home?”

The clicking stopped and Dean could see Sam’s expression illuminated by the gentle glow of his computer screen. His eyebrows furrowed slightly as he answered, “I think of this as our home now, Dean.”

Sam paused a moment before continuing, “I do miss aspects of it though. Like Bobby, and Ellen making sandwiches for us at her bar when we were kids and Bobby was too busy to keep an eye on us.”

Dean grinned as he remembered the many times they’d goofed off in her bar, running behind the counter and dragging Ellen’s daughter Jo into trouble as well. “I haven’t seen Jo yet,” Dean mused, “I wonder how she’s doing.”

“If you see her, tell her I say hello,” Sam said as he resumed typing.

“I will,” Dean promised, as he closed his eyes to attempt to chase sleep once more.

 

*****

 

A loud knock at the door woke Dean and he glanced over at his clock. It was a full hour before he had to get up for his next mission. He’d been flying down twice a week and it had begun to take it’s toll on him, throwing his sleep schedule off entirely. Two loud knocks sounded on the door again and Dean groaned as he pushed his covers off. Across the room Sam sat straight up in his bed. He looked over at Dean who shrugged.

He stood up to open the door, hoping Charlie just had the mission time wrong. He could hear a passcode being typed on the keypad outside and he froze in his tracks. Only the military police were allowed to have universal access to all private living quarters. He stepped forward to open the door for them before they went through the trouble of overriding the security system, but it was too late.

The door swung open and two officers stepped in. Dean’s heart dropped to his knees and he glanced over to his desk where his banned book along with several notes from Cas were stored, all of which asked for explicitly illegal sharing of information. Dean gulped hard and tried to think of a million excuses or ways out of it without getting his brother in trouble.

“We’re looking for Sam Winchester.”

Dean’s head whipped around to his brother who stood behind him. Sam’s eyes widened in fear and he dropped his arms to his side as he stepped forward.

“Hey, wait. What’s the problem, officers?” Dean asked, stepping in front of Sam.

“You must be Dean Winchester,” the officer said as he tapped at a handheld device in front of him. “Were you aware of your brother illegally hacking and using a false security code to gain access to private Tron Industries information?”

Dean opened his mouth but Sam answered immediately for him. “No, sir. He had no idea and had nothing to do with it. I accept full responsibility.”

The second officer walked towards them and looked at Sam, “You’re going to have to come with us to answer some questions.”

“Wait a minute, you’re not taking him unless I can come too,” Dean said.

The officer sighed and looked at Dean. He was a man in his forties with greying hair at his temples and tired eyes. “Look, kid. He’s gonna be fine but he does have to answer some questions and we’ll go from there.” He tapped at a few things on his handheld and looked back at Dean, “You also have a mission in forty minutes so I would suggest preparing for that.”

Sam looked over at Dean and gave him a nod. “It’s ok, Dean. I promise,” he said but his wide eyes gave away his own fear. Anger pulsed beneath Dean’s skin and he glared at both officers as they walked his brother out with their hands on his shoulders. Once the door shut, Dean knocked a stack of books from his desk onto the floor and stomped angrily towards the bathroom to take a quick shower before his mission.

 

*****

 

When they landed, Dean barely said a word to the young man Mike who greeted them and brushed past Charlie to quickly sign the paperwork.

“Hey, Dean, it will be okay,” Charlie said as she grabbed his shoulder before he stomped off ahead of her.

“I don’t wanna to talk to you right now,” Dean said as he quickly turned back around.

“That’s fine, just be back in a few hours so we can head home,” she called out to him, as he kept walking.

He hadn’t been planning to go to Cas’ place, he simply wanted to avoid Bobby because he couldn’t face him. Not after he’d fucked up and gotten Sam in trouble. He couldn’t talk to Charlie either because a part of him blamed her too even though he knew it wasn’t her fault either. It was his own fault and the guilt tore at him from every angle, but he wanted nothing more than to blame Cas for it too. Maybe it was because he couldn’t say no to Cas, which was his own weakness in the end, but it was for reasons he couldn’t and didn’t want to look at. It was somehow easier to act as if Cas had done something wrong than to admit to his own unwillingness to let Cas down. Dean shook his head and fumed, more at himself than Cas.

He hadn’t seen Cas on the tarmac when they’d landed so he could only assume that Cas had the day off and was in his studying working on something. He banged loudly on the door to be sure Cas could hear it. He waited and his heartbeat pulsed in his ears as each second went by. He stepped around to the side of the house to check if Cas was in the backyard but found it also deserted.

Dean walked back towards the dirt road and looked up at the sky, where the bright sun beat down its summer rays. He sighed and began to march towards the old barn, hoping to avoid Bobby on the way.

When he arrived, he wasn’t sure if he was hoping to actually find Cas there or not, but there he was. Cas was leaning against the barn doors, flipping through pages of the notebook he had with him at all times.

Dean thought of his brother, locked up on Celsphere for digging around in government files for Cas. His anger flared up as he took in the comfortable way Cas was standing, as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

“Hello, Dean,” Cas called out with a wave.

Dean didn’t respond as he marched up and shoved Cas against the barn doors, his hands digging into Cas’ shoulders.

“What the hell—?”

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done? What it could cost Sam?” The words came out in a growl as Dean held Cas out in front of him. His fingers twitched slightly as they balled up into fists.

“Dean, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Cas said calmly as his notebook slipped from his fingers to the ground.

“The damn letters, Cas! The ones where you ask him to find you information,” Dean stepped back and shook his head in disbelief. “Which I said was fucking illegal, if you don’t recall.”

“Dean, I assure you that I never asked for anything that would get Sam into severe trouble, and it was understood that at any time he could refuse.” Cas tilted his head to the side and looked at Dean with a concerned expression. “Is Sam in trouble?”

“Of course Sam’s in fucking trouble!” Dean yelled, throwing his hands up in exasperation. “And for what? To get you a few updated plans so you can doodle in your damn notebook?” Dean knew he had gone too far, that it was a completely ridiculous and inaccurate accusation but part of him wanted to see Cas get riled up. Maybe it wasn’t just about Sam either; it was about everything. It was about Cas not coming with him, not opening up to him, and then pretending like everything was normal between them.

Dean stepped back and caught his breath as he glared at Cas, unable to find the words to describe the tornado of emotion caught in his chest.

Cas narrowed his eyes and stepped closer to Dean. “Don’t treat me like I’m a child, Dean. Living on Celsphere doesn’t make you better than me, trust me.”

“Trust you?” Dean laughed bitterly, “I’ve trusted you so far and now it’s gotten Sam into trouble. I can’t fucking trust you, Cas. I barely even know you anymore.”

“You think that you understand this world, but you don’t. I’ve done nothing but try to protect you and your fragile ego,” Cas spit out bitterly.

“I don’t even know what the hell you’re talking about half of the time,” Dean said as he rolled his eyes in anger. “So you’ve traveled the world now, tell me, Cas, what have you learned?”

Dean knew he was pushing Cas, he was pushing him for information because he was jealous and he was angry. He wanted to break the stoic demeanor on Cas’ face, so devoid of emotion sometimes. Dean hated it. He hated that Cas could move on so easily and live his life without him.

Cas stepped back to pick up his notebook, a weary look on his face. “Go home, Dean,” he mumbled as he turned away.

Dean reached out and pulled at Cas’ shoulder violently, so that Cas faced him once more. “You don’t get to decide to end this conversation, Cas. I do. So tell me, what did you find out about when you were out exploring the world? What makes you so much better than me?” The words came out sounding more bitter and full of more hurt than Dean would have liked to let on.

“I never claimed to be better than you, not once,” Cas corrected as he shrugged Dean’s hand from his shoulder. “You want to know? Tell me, have you seen another country’s ship flying ever?”

“Of course not, Cas. I’ve seen them in books, if that’s what you’re asking,” Dean replied with annoyance.

Cas laughed, “The large red imitation of Celsphere with the Chinese flag on the side? That one?”

Dean blinked a few times, “Well, yeah, the one in the books.”

“It’s not real,” Cas answered calmly.

“What do you mean it’s not real? Of course it’s real, Cas. Every country has their own. We learned this together in school years ago. You were sitting right next to me.”

Cas laughed and lowered his head. “There are no other countries, Dean.”

Dean looked at him, squinting his eyes slightly in disbelief. He couldn’t even begin to fathom how to process that information. It seemed so large and so out of the scope of the world he’d known his entire life.

“I don’t know who you’ve been hangin’ around but you sound crazy, you know that right?” Dean almost wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it. Dean paused for a moment as the thought sank in along with a million reasons why it couldn’t be true, “And how in hell would we not even know about it?” He shot back angrily, anxious to disprove Cas’ argument.

“History’s written by the winners. We won,” Cas said dryly.

Dean suddenly laughed, bending over slightly to put his hands on his knees. “Good one, Cas,” he stood back up and glared at his old friend. “That’s a clever line and all but come on? You think you can distract me with some lies and I won’t be pissed at you?”

“That’s not what I was trying to do,” Cas said with exasperation, “And I am not lying to you.”

“Well, news flash: I’m still pissed.”

Cas nodded slowly as ran a hand through his hair. “I hope that Sam isn’t in too much trouble and I won’t ask you for anything again.”

“Good,” Dean spat out bitterly, anger still pulsing through his veins. The warm sun beat down on the back of his neck and annoyed him even more. Just like that, Cas’ face went back to being calm and closed off. Dean hated it, despite the numerous times he’d returned to Celsphere, it seemed that Cas still held him at an arms length away at all times.

Cas turned around to walk away but stopped to look over his shoulder. “Please, Dean. Think about what I told you and don’t tell anyone else. It’s more dangerous than you know.”

Cas didn’t wait for a response and Dean didn’t have one to give. He grit his teeth and kept his hands balled in tight fists at his sides.

He hated fighting with Cas, especially when he picked the fight. He knew he was being irrational and blaming his friend for something that was his fault as much as it was Sam’s, yet he hadn’t found that same anger surfacing yet towards his brother. He wasn’t sure if he was truly angry at Cas for having a part in Sam’s arrest, or if he was more upset that Cas couldn’t muster an ounce of emotion to fight back.

Dean kicked at the small stalks of Indian Grass that brushed as the sides of his pants and started to walk back towards the town. He walked past Bobby’s house and hastily averted his eyes and quickened his pace.

By the time he reached the small hangar, his back was drenched in sweat and his anger had still not completely subsided. He grumbled at Charlie as they began their pre-flight checks and he fought to keep his emotions in check. The anger was easy to deal with, it was an emotion he found himself familiar with controlling. However, he was unsure how to handle his fear of what he might find back on Celsphere once he landed and the trouble Sam might be in. The uncertainty dug a hole in his brain and remained a dreadful reminder as he flew back.


	11. I Believe in Yesterday

Cas watched the smoke unfurl from around Dean’s lips and allowed himself the minor pleasure of observing the effortless good looks of his best friend. Their legs dangled over the edge of the old abandoned freight car as snow fell gently outside in a rarer than rare true Kansas winter.

The winter session of school had just ended and they’d taken their last placement tests. Soon, they would get word and Dean would leave to live on Celsphere and Cas didn’t know what would even happen to him. Dean turned to look at Castiel, handing over the small joint between his fingers.

Castiel took it and closed his eyes as he inhaled, allowing the tip to burn bright red for just a moment before he pulled it back from his lips and opened his eyes. He let the smoke burn in his lungs before he could not longer keep himself from coughing. Dean laughed and took the joint from Cas.

“You always cough, man.”

“I must have shitty lungs,” Cas replied with a small smile.

“Hey, don’t say that. They won’t let you up on Celsphere like that,” Dean said as he turned to look at Castiel with a serious expression.

Their eyes met for just a moment before Dean looked away and laughed, “But they didn’t test us by making us smoke, so there’s that.”

Castiel looked down at his feet and tried to keep the disappointment hidden from his face. Dean could usually read him like a book and he couldn’t risk Dean finding out. He stared transfixed at the falling snow and attempted to keep his own thoughts at bay, ones that would dampen his high and expose his secret to Dean.

“Earth to Cas,” Dean said as he scooted further back into the old freight car and tapped at Castiel’s back. Dean took one more hit from the joint before flicking it outside in a swift motion, alongside the other trash that littered the abandoned railway.

Cas turned around quickly, the world moving slightly slower around him. His gaze fell on Dean, whose cheeks were flushed a deep red from the cold. It matched his red scarf and brought out his green eyes. He pulled his eyes away slowly from Dean and Dean’s small smile that made him so attractive.

“Sorry,” Cas apologized, his own high leaving a hazy film on his thoughts as he stood up slowly and made his way towards Dean. He tripped on an old plank of wood and allowed himself to fall into a seated position close to Dean.

They both laughed and Cas felt his cares lift only slightly. They hadn’t hung out much over that year. Dean had been busy with his girlfriend, Lisa, and Cas had found excuses to get out of hearing about Dean’s relationship. He’d hated the jealous feeling that had taken root somewhere deep inside him and he’d vowed to stamp it out by immersing himself in other interests. Their eyes met again and they gave each other easy grins.

Cas relaxed back on his hands and tipped his head towards the ceiling of the old cart. A hole at the top corner allowed small gusts of wind to come billowing in and the small amount of snow outside fell in steady drops like stars from the sky. Cas shivered slightly and tugged his own coat tighter around him.

“This is nice,” Dean said, finally breaking the silence.

“I agree,” Cas said as he slid his eyes over towards Dean.

“Sometimes, man, with Lisa it’s like we can’t just sit in silence for a while, ya know?”

Cas wanted to say that he didn’t really know, and that Dean had in fact just done what he was complaining that Lisa did. However, he also didn’t find it irritating in the least.

“I enjoy comfortable silences,” Cas said slowly.

“Exactly,” Dean said with an affirmative nod.

“But,” Cas paused as he tried to put together the correct words, “conversation with the right person is also enjoyable.”

Dean let out a small breath, the air danced in front of him for a moment before dissipating and Cas felt his own breath hitch in his throat.

Dean shook his head slightly and sat back as he wrapped his arms around his legs. “Things are going to change,” he said quietly.

Cas inched closer to Dean and hesitantly squeezed Dean’s shoulder before dropping his hand to the dirty wood floor.

“I know,” Cas said as he closed his eyes.

“Lisa wants me to stay,” Dean said after a moment.

Castiel’s heart sped up despite the jealous pang that gripped him, and he looked over at Dean again. “What do you want, Dean?”

“I don’t know...”

Dean raised his head and blinked several times. He shook his head and chuckled under his breath as he ran a hand through his hair. Castiel tilted his head to the side as he tried to interpret Dean’s words.

“This is nuts,” Dean whispered as he inched closer and pressed his lips to Castiel’s.

Castiel closed his eyes and met Dean’s kiss with a gentle agreement as he wrapped his hand around the back of Dean’s neck. It felt like falling, slow and terrifying at once as time stopped around them for a moment and the wind howled in agreement.

Castiel fell forward on top of Dean as their kiss deepened. It felt like pieces clicking into place as if a spark had lit between them; strong enough to stave off any winter.

Dean groaned beneath him as he bit gently at Cas’ bottom lip before softly kissing him again, barely allowing room between their mouths as they each took a deep breath before they collided again with urgency. It felt as if both an eternity had passed and yet no time at all.

When they parted, Cas rolled to the side and lay on his back, side by side with Dean. His fingers twitched as they grazed Dean’s. After a moment, Dean laced his fingers between Castiel’s, grounding them both.

A comfortable silence hung between them as Cas tried to slow his beating heart, watching his chest rise and fall in longer increments. Perhaps it was the effect of being high, perhaps it was his elation at their kiss, and perhaps it was just his own way of saying goodbye, but Cas didn’t feel the need to question it. The answer seemed to already loom before them; they might never get the chance again.

 

*****

 

Cas poked at the food on his plate as he stared back at Anna with a scowl on his face.

“I’m not going to say that I told you so,” she said as she sat back with her arms folded across her chest, “but it does suck.”

Cas nodded slowly. “It sucks. I feel awful.”

“So, how pissed was he?”

“He’ll probably never speak to me again,” Cas said with a shrug. “I got Sam into trouble and who knows how serious it is.”

“I’m sure Sam will be fine and Dean will cool down,” Anna said with a reassuring smile as she pushed Castiel’s plate back towards him. “If you don’t eat, Ellen’s going to come over and start asking you what’s wrong.”

Castiel grumbled in discontentment as he picked up his burger and took a small bite. He threw a quick glance over his shoulder and sure enough, Ellen was looking at him with a raised eyebrow. He gave her a small forced smile before quickly turning back to face Anna.

“You always said Dean was her favorite but she’s got a soft spot for you too,” Anna said gently.

“That’s only because her daughter didn’t spend years pining after me,” Cas replied.

“Are you sure about that?”

“Positive.”

Anna took a sip of her water, savoring it as she finished off her glass. She set it down with a definitive thud against the tabletop. “You shut people out, Cas. You disappeared for a year and then when you got back, you didn’t say a word to anyone.”

“What was I supposed to say, and to whom?”

Anna sighed as she sat back in her chair. “I hope you fix things with Dean, I don’t know how he puts up with you.”

“Me too,” Cas said quietly as he took another bite of his food. He wanted to do something, to show Dean that he was worth trusting and that he hadn’t intended to get Sam into trouble.

“The flight schedule doesn’t have anyone on the board for a week but the water supply is too low to last that long,” Anna said, leaning forward and lowering her voice.

“I’m off for two days next week,” Cas replied in a defeated tone. “There’s no guarantee that Dean would even want to speak to me if I was working.”

Anna rolled her eyes, “I’ll trade shifts with you,” she shrugged, “it’s worth a shot anyway, and he can’t ignore you if you’re the one checking his plane.”

“You hate working on the runway. You say it’s too hot and boring.”

“It’s a favor, Cas,” she said with a smile. “Plus, I’m not switching the whole week with you, just whatever day the water delivery is scheduled for. I’m not a saint,” she added with a laugh.

Cas looked up to offer her an appreciative smile and noticed Ellen on her way to their booth. The bar was mostly empty now and she strolled over to them with a grin on her face.

“How’re my favorite customers doin’ today?”

“Good,” Anna replied as she gave Cas a look. “Cas is his usual surly self.”

“I’m not surly,” Cas corrected. He looked at Ellen and gave her a small smile. “I’ve had a rough day.”

“Wanna talk about it, kid?”

“Not particularly,” Cas said quietly.

Ellen nodded and laughed, “I didn’t think so.”

Ellen rapped her knuckle on the top of the wooden table, “This one’s on me,” she told them, “I hope your day gets better.” She turned to leave but stopped, “And Cas, tell Dean to take some time out from his busy schedule sometime and stop in here.”

Cas swallowed the large lump in his throat and nodded, his eyes slightly wide. Anna kicked him under the table and smiled back at Ellen, “Thanks for everything, Ellen.”

Cas stuffed the last few bites of his burger into his mouth as he thought about what had transpired between him and Dean. Part of him was mad at Dean for not even believing what he’d told him earlier that day, but he also knew that he’d done it out of his own spite and anger and at a completely wrong time. More than anything else, he’d wanted to open up to Dean since the moment he’d seen him but fear always gripped him and stopped him from doing so.

Cas tapped his fingers against the table as his thoughts swirled around in his head and he realized what he needed to do. He needed to show Dean that he could be trusted, that maybe he had changed but that it didn’t mean his beliefs and dreams had changed.

Castiel stood up abruptly, sliding out of the booth in a comfortable and well-practiced manner. “I need to go.”

“Have an idea about how to make Dean not-pissed at you?”

“Something like that,” Cas said with a smile. Excitement and nervous energy began to flow through his veins. He looked outside at the dark night sky and grinned, reminding himself to grab some lanterns from his house. He reached into the booth and grabbed his tan trenchcoat, putting his arms through it and adjusting the collar. He waved at Anna and gave her small peck on the cheek. “Thanks, Anna.”

 

*****

 

Dean jogged down the corridor to his room as his heart pounded in his chest. They’d landed and not a single person could give him information about his brother, so he’d finally decided to head back to his room to check his computer for mail with information. There seemed to be an infuriatingly large number of people crowded in the hallway as he tried to make his way through.

He slapped his identification card at his door the moment he reached it, hoping he’d have mail waiting inside that would tell him where he could find his brother. The door slid open and he stepped inside, his breath catching in his throat as he came face to face with Sam.

“Oh thank god,” Dean said as he pulled Sam in for a tight hug. He held him for just a moment before releasing him and punching him in the shoulder.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Dean exclaimed, slamming his hand on the button to close their door.

Sam stepped back and raised his hands slightly in defense. “Dude, calm down. I barely got in trouble.”

Dean’s chest heaved as he took a deep breath to calm himself. “I was worried sick about you and all you can say is that you barely got in trouble?”

“Look, I’m sorry, Dean.”

“Yeah, well, ‘I’m sorry’ isn’t gonna cut it, buddy,” Dean spit out. “What were you thinking?”

“I was thinking that I could help our friend out,” Sam said as he rolled his shoulders back slightly. “I was thinking that the information I found was more important than getting a simple demerit on my record.”

“I don’t even want to hear it,” Dean said as he turned around and threw himself on his bed. He picked up a book from the corner of his desk and flipped through the pages idly, his eyes only skimming over the little black text. After he’d exploded at Cas, which now felt like over-kill, his brother being so nonchalant about it set his blood boiling again.

“You’re not my dad,” Sam said boldly, narrowing his eyes. “And you can’t control what I do.”

Dean slammed his book shut and stood up, standing so close to Sam he could feel his breath. “Get out. Now. I can’t even look at you right now,” Dean growled as Sam’s words echoed around in his head. It hurt more than he’d ever admit.

“You know what Dean, fine, suit yourself,” Sam said. He grabbed his backpack and opened the door in a huff. “You never want to listen to what anyone else has to say.”

Dean ignored him, staring straight ahead at the wall. He waited until he heard the door click shut before he grabbed the old tape deck from his desk drawer. The edges were worn and the black paint had chipped on most of it so that only the metal casing was visible along the edges. Dean popped open the tape deck and pulled out the well-worn and well-listened to Led Zeppelin tape, replacing it with another tape that he kept hidden  
deep within his desk. He sighed as he pulled it out, exhaustion taking over his body.

Fighting with Sam always took a lot of energy out of him, and he hated that he’d somehow managed to push away both Sam and Cas in the same day. Dean took a deep breath as he slipped his headphones over his ears and sat back against his pillows. His hands clenched into small fists again as he closed his eyes and held back the wave of emotions that were too much for him to handle.

Dean ran his fingers along the cassette tape’s plastic edges and his eyes misted up slightly as he grazed over the faded yellow sticker that read “The Beatles.” He flipped the tape around to the second side and fast forwarded to the song he wanted. The tape was one of his mom’s, and even when he felt like he could no longer remember what she looked like, he could remember sitting in the kitchen with her as the music flowed through the house.

As the lyrics played gently through his headphones, Dean found himself drifting between memories somewhere in the middle of being awake and asleep. I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday. Dean felt a swell of guilt as he thought of the things he’d said to Cas, and the way he’d dismissed his brother. He rolled over onto his side and closed his eyes, too tired to confront his fears and mistakes. He set aside his own pride for a moment and allowed himself to feel the immense relief that came with finding his brother safe and sound on Celsphere; not locked up in a prison deep within.

“I’ll make it up to you guys,” Dean said as he looked at the empty bed across the room and wondered when Sam would come back.

 

*****

 

Sweat covered the palms of his hands as he landed, and it wasn’t yet from the warm weather of Terra. He’d spent the better part of the week trying to make amends with Sam, who had remained elusive and aloof towards him. The time Dean didn’t spend worrying about his brother, he ran various scenarios through his mind of what he should say to Cas.

Now that they had actually landed, he felt like he’d spent eternity preparing a speech only to forget it in its entirety. As he climbed down from the cockpit, he saw Charlie raise an eyebrow in his direction. “You okay, Dean? You look a little green.”

“I’m good,” he said as closed his door forcefully.

“I know you’re not the best at apologies but all you have to do is try,” Charlie said with an encouraging smile. She’d broken down his resistance and he finally gave in and had explained to her how he’d somehow messed up two relationships in just one day. She’d been supportive, if not slightly guilty over Sam’s hacking that had come from her own encouragement.

“Easy for you to say,” Dean said as he straightened his uniform before a red-haired girl approached him carrying a clipboard. Charlie gave him a pat on the back as she took their flight check-list to be dropped off at the front office.

“Hi, I’m Anna and I’ll be checking your plane momentarily,” the girl said as she reached Dean and gave him a small smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Hey, I know you. You were in the class ahead of me, right?”

“I was.”

“I’m Dean, nice to meet you,” he said as he followed her around the side of the plane.

“I know who you are.”

“Oh,” Dean hesitated, unsure of how to continue. “Cool. Well, look. I was wondering if you knew this guy Cas? He’s almost my height, dark hair and blue eyes, quiet guy.”

She turned around quickly and looked at him, her large hazel eyes sizing him up. “Actually, I do. I know him really well.”

“That’s cool, yeah,” Dean said as he rubbed the hair at the back of his neck. Anna was small, thin and dainty. He was surprised to see her working out on the tarmac, but he figured it made sense since there wasn’t always a ton of work to be found on Terra.

“Is he working today?” Dean asked after Anna hesitated to volunteer any information freely.

Anna let out a small huff of air, “Well, I’m covering for him which wasn’t really how it was going to work out in the first place but it’s fine. He actually wanted me to give you a message.”

Dean blinked a few times in surprise as he watched the red-haired girl dig through her overalls for a moment before pulling out a carefully folded note.

“Here,” Anna said as she handed the note over. She looked as if she had more to say but she quickly shut her mouth again and continued checking the plane.

“Thanks, and uh, I’ll let you get back to work,” Dean said with a nod as he stepped away. She gave him a small nod in return but he barely acknowledged it as he tore open the note.

Meet me outside the barn. Come alone. Please. -C

Dean smiled at the politeness but he could read the urgency between the very few lines. It gave him hope, but not enough to stave off his nerves. He looked back at his plane which was being refueled and he turned towards the inside of the hangar deck to look for his co-pilot. Assuming Charlie had turned in their forms, which he was sure she had, Dean could find no excuse not to leave and make his way towards the barn.

He took the long way around the complex, past the food stores warehouse and past the water warehouse that still looked far too empty. He knew he was delaying their meeting but he couldn’t seem to find the right words to say. It was the thing about trust, because that had been a lie. Other than Sammy and Bobby, Dean couldn’t think of another person that he’d trust as much as Cas.

The thought gave him courage as he made his way around the back of the cliff and towards the old barn. The weather was nice, and they’d flown in early enough to not worry about flying back in the dark. Dean’s heart pounded slightly in his chest as he reached the barn doors and Cas still wasn’t to be seen.

Dean stopped and adjusted his uniform again as he checked his watch and unfolded the note again. He glanced at it and looked up at the sun, wondering why Cas hadn’t specified a time. In fact, he wondered why Cas bothered switching shifts so that he wasn’t working when Dean flew in. The thought sent a new wave of worry down his spine and he wondered if Cas changed his mind, if maybe he decided he didn’t want to see Dean after all.

Dean turned around to begin heading back down towards Bobby’s house when he heard the barn doors open.

“Dean.”

Dean whipped around so fast he thought he might stumble. He tooks in the sight of his friend, stubble covering his jaw and unkempt hair. Streaks of black grease covered his tan overalls and was smudged across his nose and his cheek. Dean would laugh if it weren’t so endearing.

“Cas, you’re kinda a mess,” Dean said with a chuckle.

“Is that your version of an apology?” Cas said as he cocked his head to the side.

Dean knew Cas better than anyone else (he hoped), and he knew the friendly challenge in Cas’ tone was meant as a joke.

“Best I got,” Dean said with a shrug but he followed it up with a soft smile.

Cas rolled his eyes but motioned for Dean to follow him. “I have something to show you.”

Dean followed Cas into the barn and stopped abruptly as he stepped inside. The large barn door slammed shut behind him and echoed off the gleaming black metal of the completed plane before him. His eyes widened in shock and he opened his mouth but couldn’t find the right words to say.

Dean stepped up to the plane and closed his eyes as he ran his hands along the smooth metal. He never would have imagined that Cas would finish the plane; their plane. They’d simply run out of time and Dean had always thought she would sit, frame half-built, inside this barn forever. Dean shook his head slightly in amusement; for as long as he knew Cas, the man still managed to continually surprise him.

“You finished her,” Dean said, slightly breathless as he turned to look at Cas, his eyes lingering on the small curve of his lips and the sparkle in his blue eyes.

Cas looked down shyly at the ground as a grin spread across his face.

“Is this what you wanted those plans for? Wow, now I really feel like an ass,” Dean said as he stepped towards Cas. His heart swelled with so much pride that he thought he might explode as he looked at his friend.

“Don’t. You weren’t wrong.”

Dean clapped a hand on Castiel’s shoulder and shook his head. “I had no idea you were working on this Cas. I don’t even know what to say!”

“I wanted to show you that you could trust me, Dean.”

“Dude, I’m an idiot. I trust you more than anyone else I know,” Dean said as stepped forward to look at the plane.

“Can I go in? Like, check out the controls?”

“Go right ahead,” Cas said with a smile.

Dean hopped inside and began turning the engine on, careful to leave the propellers off. He looked at the metal on the pilot side door and grinned. The initials “DW, SW, CN” were carved in the metal; a relic from their childhood days playing with an old beaten up car in Bobby’s junkyard. He tried to keep his eyes from misting up again. It was like Cas had found a way to fill in the missing parts of Dean’s life, somewhere between his past and present.

“Does she fly?” Dean called out as he climbed down from the cockpit, wiping his eyes quickly.

“I don’t know, I’m not a pilot,” Cas replied with a smirk.

“I’ll fly if you navigate,” Dean said with a wink.


	12. Blackbird

Sweat dripped down his back as he helped roll the small bi-plane out of the barn. He and Cas each pulled at large thick ropes tied to the wheels of the plane, pulling it out just enough to close the barn door behind it.

Dean stopped to wipe sweat from his brow and remove his stiff military coat. He ran back inside the barn to drop his coat onto the workbench Cas had apparently set up since the last time Dean had been in there, many years ago. He eyes traveled across the large stack of prints and various drawings of the engine. His chest swelled with pride at what his friend had accomplished and he wondered how in hell Cas had even pulled it off.

When he stepped back outside, Cas was taking large steps across the land in front of the plane.

“We’ll have enough room to take off,” Dean called out, knowing that Cas would continue to count the meters anyway.

Cas did indeed keep counting his steps and when he seemed satisfied, he jogged back towards Dean. “You never know, she might not fly,” he said quietly.

“I trust you, Cas,” Dean said with a smile. “She’ll fly.”

Dean hopped into the cockpit and extended a hand downwards to help Cas into the seat behind him. He started the engine and watched with wonder as the propellers began to spin. The plane was an older model, one used when they were kids and first started out on building their own plane. Dean took a moment to familiarize himself with some of the more manual controls.

The screen flickered for a moment before lighting up and Dean heard Cas let out a sigh of relief behind him. The screen showed two large wings before it switched to the main controls and flight analysis.

“Cas, this is amazing,” Dean said for what felt like the millionth time.

From behind him, Cas handed him a pair of goggles. Dean turned around in his seat and laughed at the large goggles already positioned neatly over Cas’ eyes.

“You laugh now but this plane doesn’t have half the fancy stuff yours does such as the barrier shield.”

“It’s all good, Cas. I was just thinking that it’s great you’re so prepared,” Dean said with a grin as he snapped the goggles on.

Dean grabbed the headset once he sat back in the front seat and had buckled himself in. He was excited, if not a bit nervous about this adventure, and he was delaying slightly. He wanted to show Cas that he had earned his top marks in school for a reason.

“Ground control to Major Tom,” Dean said into his headset.

“I don’t understand that reference.”

Dean rolled his eyes but was glad the com system seemed to work just fine. “Here we go, Cas. Ready?”

“Ready.”

Dean advanced the throttle and they jostled forward over the grass below them. Dean adjusted his feet on the rudder pedals and gripped the stick tightly as they began to pick up speed. Everything seemed to be working well enough so Dean pushed the throttle some more and the ground began to move quickly beneath them. Dean heard Cas inhale loudly as he pulled back on the stick and they advanced quickly into the air. It was only moments before the nose of the plane tipped towards the sky above and the wheels left the ground.

Dean let out the breath he had been holding as well and smiled as they cruised through the air and over the edge of the large valley. They accelerated quickly and the ground fell away beneath them as they climbed higher. Dean let out a yell, allowing the wind to carry his voice.

“Cas, we’re actually flying,” Dean said, remembering their promise as children. This was how it was meant to be.

“This is amazing,” Cas replied breathlessly through the headset and Dean whipped his head around to look at his friend. Cas had both arms outstretched to the sides of the plane and his eyes were closed. His chest rose and fell with each large breath he took and a content smile spread across his face.

Dean turned around again to check his controls, keeping a close eye on the horizon. He didn’t want to go too close to the main part of town and risk being seen. He turned the stick to the left to rotate the plane back around.

“Hey, Cas, I’m gonna switch the controls to you.”

“Dean, I’m not a pilot, why don’t you keep-”

“Too late!” Dean said with a laugh as he flipped the main flight controls back to Cas. He’d checked the angles and controls for Cas’ seat before they flew so he knew it was safe.

“Dean!” Cas exclaimed as the plane shook slightly.

“It’s easy, just keep the plane level and watch the gauge on your dashboard. Look at the horizon if you’re worried and keep even with that.”

“I’d prefer to navigate,” Cas said in a stern voice as the plane tilted from one side and then to the other.

“Look, we gotta turn right to turn back around so just press a little on the right rudder, turn the stick to the right and then I’ll take over. I promise,” Dean said over his com system. He would be lying if he didn’t say he got some joy out of flustering Cas every now and then.

Dean looked over his shoulder back at Cas whose face was set in stern concentration. The plane tilted slightly to the right and Dean whipped around to face his own flight controls as he felt Cas put too much pressure on the rudder while pulling up on the stick.

“Shit,” Dean yelled just as Cas said the same thing. The nose of the plane was straight in the air and Dean immediately flipped the controls back to himself. Dean could hear the engine sputtering as gravity pulled them down.

“We’re gonna stall, Cas. Hold on!”

Dean cut the power and reduced the throttle as the plane was tipped vertically in the air. The sound of passing wind squealed through the tires and Dean could hear Cas coughing behind him as exhaust flew around them. He realized he forgot to tell Cas to hold his breath.

They fell for just a second before Dean pushed the throttle back on and pulled back on the stick to level them back out. It worked momentarily before engine cut out yet again, leaving them to free fall between the ravine.

Dean tried to pull back and start the throttle again, pressing at his rudders to test the power. “Fuck,” he said as the wind whirled around them and gravity pulled them downwards. The propellers started to spin again but not as fast as they had been. They quickly lost altitude and Dean looked around quickly for a place to land.

“We’re going to crash in the ravine,” Cas said frantically.

“I know, dude, we don’t have a choice.”

Dean looked ahead of him and checked his flight controls. It was more outdated than his other plane and he had no indication of the terrain ahead.

“Dean, if we can make it 500 meters, there’s a large strip of ground that should be wide enough for us.”

Castiel’s voice shook slightly but Dean could hear the rustling of paper as Cas plotted out their navigation. Dean took a deep breath and held the plane still despite the constant sputtering of the engine and dips the plane kept taking. His hands ached from holding the stick straight but he pulled back just enough to keep them in the air for 500 meters before the engine finally cut out.

“Hold on!” Dean yelled as he gripped the sides of the plane.

They bounced several times as Dean tried to soften the landing as much as he could. The metal creaked as the finally came to stop and Dean leaned forward taking a deep breath.

“You okay, Cas?”

“I’d be better if we hadn’t crashed,” Cas replied.

Dean took Cas’ response as an indication that he was fine, and slowly unbuckled his seatbelt, feeling the bruises on his back that would form from the rough landing.

 

*****

 

Dean collapsed onto the ground and Cas followed shortly after, clambering down from the small plane. Adrenaline coursed through his veins as he took a moment to calm his breathing.

“Shit,” Cas said.

Dean turned to look over at his friend, his face still covered in grease and small lines under his eyes from the goggles he’d been wearing. He couldn’t help but start to laugh at the absurdity of the situation.

“I’m glad you find this funny,” Cas said as he narrowed his eyes at Dean.

“I’m just happy we’re both alive,” Dean exclaimed as he stood up, extending a hand towards Cas.

He pulled Cas up with more force than necessary and Cas stumbled into him, knocking Dean against the back of their slightly-dented airplane.

Dean’s breath hitched in his throat as he looked at his friend, their eyes meeting for a moment before Cas stepped away muttering an apology.

Dean knew they had been down this road before, and that he’d always been the one to ruin things because he couldn’t figure out what he wanted. He ran away from it, as he ran away from a lot of things that scared him. He knew now as Cas stepped further away from him, it was the last thing he wanted.

He willed himself to commit to the ounce of courage flowing through his body and he reached out. Dean grabbed the front of Cas’ shirt and pulled him towards him, their knees knocking against one another as their lips met.

It felt like floating, or more like flying as they kissed and Dean wondered if this was what coming home felt like. Home. Something he’d never been able to quite place for himself between the expectations of others and his own. He felt his knees buckle slightly as they kissed and Cas’ hand wrapped around his back, supporting him.

This wasn’t new, they’d done this twice before, but it finally felt real. Dean had no excuses to hide behind, only the realization that he was kissing Cas and it felt better than any other kiss in his life.

Dean moaned as Cas took his bottom lip between his own and bit down on it gently while pulling Dean’s body tight towards him. It took every ounce of strength Dean had not to sink to his knees and ask for more right then.

Cas wound one hand through Dean’s hair and pulled at it slightly so that little impulses traveled down his scalp and made his nerves stand at attention. Cas moved his head and planted rough kisses along Dean’s neck and Dean’s dick twitched at the new sensation of Cas’ rough stubble scraping against his skin.

“Fuck,” Dean moaned as leaned back against the plane. He tilted his head back as Cas sucked on his Adam’s apple. He could feel Cas’ own erection as their hips pressed tightly against one another and Cas looked back up at Dean his blue eyes large and deceivingly innocent.

“Do you want me to do more?” Cas paused for a moment and bit his lip gently. “Are you sure you want this?”

Dean nodded his head up and down, his heart beating loudly in his chest as Cas slid slowly to his knees, his eyes locked with Dean’s. The intensity was like nothing Dean had ever felt before and he was already rock hard just from kissing. He took a deep breath and exhaled loudly as Cas undid his belt slowly, almost painfully slow.

Cas licked his lips and Dean shut his eyes as Cas pulled out his cock and began to stroke it, the rough palms of his large hands pulled at his skin and Dean moaned at the slight bit of pain he felt before Cas suddenly moved forward and began to suck slowly at the tip of his cock.

Dean’s legs shook slightly and he moaned loudly as Cas worked his way up, moving slowly and deliberately. Cas placed his hands on Dean’s hips and held him still as Dean moaned and tried to urge Cas to move faster. Cas picked up speed, and eventually wrapped one hand around the base of Dean’s cock.

It didn’t take long for Dean to get close to the edge and everytime he looked down and saw the mess of dark brown hair buried between his legs, he had to bite down on his own lip to try to last longer. This is Cas. Dean had to keep reminding himself that it was real, and not one of the many teenage (and adult) fantasies in which this had occurred.

Cas gripped the base of Dean’s dick harder as he stroked up and down in a fast rhythmic motion. Dean closed his eyes again and grabbed a fistful of Castiel’s hair in his hand as he came.

All energy drained from him, he sunk down to the floor and pulled Cas in for another deep kiss. This time Cas moaned as they kissed one another lazily and gently. Dean pulled away at last, allowing himself to catch his breath.

“Fuck, Cas,” he said with a grin.

 

*****

 

Cas pulled a small toolbox out of the small plane’s storage hold and began to check the engine. Dean checked the body of the plane for damage and was glad to say that other than some dents and maybe a tire that needed replacing, the plane seemed fine.

He walked over to Cas and placed a tentative hand on his waist as he stood closely behind him to watch while Cas checked the propellers. Cas turned around and gave Dean a strange look.

“You’re not going to freak out are you?”

“What? No, of course not.” Dean replied as stepped closer to Cas.

“You always freak out.”

“I’m not a kid anymore, Cas. It just...took me a while to figure it out,” Dean explained as he looked at the ground. His cheeks flushed and he realized that okay, maybe he was freaking out a little bit but it didn’t mean he was going to bail.

Cas eyed him for another moment before he seemed to accept Dean’s answer with a small nod.

“We should be able to fly if we can clear out enough space in front of us,” Cas said as he looked up at the darkening sky.

“I guess we should hurry, a storm looks like it’s rolling in,” Dean noted as he glanced around the ravine. He hadn’t been too worried earlier but the ravine was no place to be stuck inside once it stormed.

Dean and Cas worked quickly to clear out any fallen sticks and debris in front of the plane. The humid air had sweat coating each of them by the time they were done and Dean wanted nothing more than to collapse in his bed back at Bobby’s.

As he hopped into the pilot’s seat, he turned around to give Cas a cocky grin, “Do you want to try piloting again?”

Cas rolled his eyes and Dean started up the engine, listening carefully for any signs of malfunction. Once he felt comfortable that the engine was running smoothly and the propellers spinning at the correct intervals, he pushed forward on the throttle and they were off.


	13. Can of Worms

Dean grabbed at his ankle and squeezed his eyes shut as he lay in a crumpled heap on the floor in front of the bannister. The pain shot up his leg and water filled his eyes no matter how hard he tried to stop it.

He heard his new friend Cas inhale loudly and then run down the stairs after him, “Dean, are you okay?”

Dean looked up as Cas slid down to the ground beside him, the bedsheet tied around his neck still like a superhero. “I told you not to slide down the bannister,” Cas said in a quiet voice.

Another pain shot through Dean’s leg as he moved it and he bit down on his lip to keep from crying out. Despite his attempts, a large tear rolled down his cheek as he cradled his ankle in his hands.

“It’ll be okay,” Cas said gently as he used his bedsheet to wipe at Dean’s cheek. Dean looked up in surprise and shook his head obstinately.

“Men don’t cry, Cas, and superheroes definitely don’t,” he said as he leaned further away from Cas with a harsh look. “I’m not crying.”

Cas’ eyes widened in surprise as he looked back down at the sheet in his hands. “I’m sorry, Dean. I didn’t know.”

“That’s what my Dad used to say,” Dean said as he sniffled loudly. “He said men dont cry unless they are gay.”

Dean looked back at his foot and clenched his jaw as he tried to move it. He wouldn’t cry, no matter what, he promised himself.

“What is wrong with being gay?” Cas asked quietly and innocently.

“Nothing,” Bobby said as he stomped in from the kitchen, his mouth drawn in a tight line. He scooped Dean up and placed him on the couch quickly before he shook his head and took his hat off, placing it on the bannister.

“Cas, you ignore what Dean just told you. His dad filled him with all kinds of cock-and-bull ideas.”

Cas shook his head as he looked over at Dean. “Is he going to be okay?” he whispered, but Dean heard him and rolled his eyes.

“He’ll be just fine, the way I heard him talkin’, I thought he musta busted his head. Turns out it’s his ankle.”

Dean sat up and popped his head above the couch, “Hey,” he said in complaint. “I’m right here.”

“Oh, I ain’t done with you yet,” Bobby said as he looked at Dean. “Cas, it’s about time you got back home before your uncle throws a fit anyway.”

Cas looked over at Dean and gave him a small wave as he untied the cloth around his neck and draped it over the back of the couch.

Dean closed his eyes as Bobby walked away, relieved to be out of his uncle’s scrutiny.

“Didn’t I tell ya not to slide on the darn bannister?” Bobby called from the kitchen.

Dean rolled his eyes and pretended to fall asleep. It didn’t work so well when Bobby placed a pack of frozen food to Dean’s ankle. “Keep that pressed against your leg for some time,” he instructed as he sat in his armchair, looking at Dean.

Dean gulped nervously as he did what Bobby instructed.

“Dean, your daddy wasn’t a bad man but he wasn’t always right either. I don’t mean to tarnish your idea of him but I do plan to set you straight on a few things.”

The pain in Dean’s ankle subsided slightly, taken over by the numbing cold of the frozen pack he held to it diligently. Dean was still waiting to be grounded for sliding on the bannister.

“This isn’t about me being on the bannister?” Dean asked slowly.

“You’re in trouble for that too, don’t worry. I’ve just got somethin’ more important to tell you.”

Dean groaned and lay back down on the couch.

“People are free to love whoever they want Dean.”

“Even if it’s two guys?”

“Two girls too,” Bobby said with a nod.

“That’s illegal though,” Dean said as he glared back at Bobby.

“Your comic books are illegal, does that make them bad?”

Dean turned his head towards the ceiling as he thought about it. “I guess not.”

“Your dad, that idjit, put too much stock in following the rules. He thought if he played by the rules, your mom might get the help she needed.”

Dean sighed as he thought about what Bobby said. It made sense, and he hadn’t thought about it before. “Does that mean it’s okay to cry?”

Bobby laughed and ran a hand along his beard, “I ain’t hopin’ to raise no crybabies round here but cryin’ ain’t gonna make you gay. Some people are just born that way, Dean.

Dean nodded slowly as he looked back at the ceiling. “I guess,” he said quietly as he thought about all the things he’d heard his father say and how so much of it had been proven wrong. He wished for the millionth time that his dad would come back, because when he did, Dean had a lot of questions for him.

 

*****

 

Charlie stifled a yawn next to Dean as the credits began to roll for the movie they had been watching on her laptop. They’d seen Lord of the Rings so many times that they could recite the lines perfectly, but this time Dean found his mind wandering as they watched. Despite the numerous times Charlie nudged him to get his attention, he couldn’t help but get distracted by the events of two days prior.

As Charlie sat up and pulled her laptop onto her lap, Dean moved over to her desk chair, happy to stretch his legs a bit after laying together on her cramped bed for several hours. Dean stretched his arms above his head and yawned as well before he checked his watch. Sam was still avoiding him and he wasn’t exactly in a hurry to get back to his own room and sit in awkward silence. He looked at Charlie and realized she was watching him closely.

“What?” he asked.

“Something’s bothering you or well, has you freaking out. Ever since we flew to Terra you’ve been weird.”

“What do you mean? No, I haven’t,” Dean said defensively.

Charlie tilted her head down and raised an eyebrow. “Come on. You didn’t even chuckle at the hobbits running from a fake dragon. You barely watched the entire movie.”

Dean debated lying to her and telling her that he was just tired, but he figured Charlie would get the truth out of him eventually anyway. He sighed and ran his hands down his face.

“So I have this friend-”

“Cas,” Charlie interrupted with a small smile. “Sam told me about him.”

“Yeah, umm,” Dean paused. He wasn’t even sure how to say it out loud. How could he say that he fooled around with his friend, his male friend, and that he liked it. He liked it a lot and really it wasn’t even the first time they’d done so. Although, it was their first time for some of it.

Dean groaned. “I can’t talk to you about this. It’s weird.” He hung his head down and looked at the floor.

“Can I guess? If you promise not to get pissy about my guesses?”

“Sure,” Dean said as he sat back.

“You have a thing for Cas.”

Dean looked up and narrowed his eyes. He wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or slightly offended that her first guess was right on the nail.

“Maybe,” Dean replied in a small voice as he looked to the side.

“Did you guys, you know...fool around?” Charlie asked as a wide grin spread across her face.

“I don’t wanna talk about it,” Dean replied quickly as his face got hot.

“That’s adorable, and I’ll leave you alone now because I can tell you’re freaking out about it.” Charlie put her hand on his knee. “If it feels right, then it is, and no law or person can that away from you. Just keep that in mind.”

Dean nodded but a he felt grateful just knowing that she knew and understood. It somehow validated his feelings just to have them known by someone else; no matter how terrifying it was.

“Speaking of Cas,” Charlie said as she began to type on her computer, “I did some digging after Sam got in trouble.”

“Not that again,” Dean said as he moved over to sit next to Charlie on her bed.

“Sam found a bunch of old documents and blueprints but he didn’t know how to access them. I thought I’d give it a shot, and Dean this is what’s weird. There’s not much that I can’t hack into.”

“Yeah?” Dean asked with a skeptical eyebrow raise.

“I’m being serious, Dean. I’d normally never care to look into old engineering folders and whatever but it’s not just that. There’s old reports, tons of old reports about other countries.”

Dean’s interest piqued as he thought about what Cas had told him. Dread pooled in his stomach and he leaned over Charlie’s shoulder to look at her screen.

“They are all only viewable by one person,” Charlie explained as she looked at her screen.

Ezekiel Adams

“The guy who runs Tron Industries?” Dean asked as he struggled to remember the man he’d briefly met at his graduation years ago.

“There’s one guy above him, Metatron, but Ezekiel’s essentially the face of the organization,” Charlie said with a shrug. “I just think it’s really odd that everything about him is hidden.”

“Shit,” Dean said as he sat back.

“I can’t dig up where he’s even from, it’s all under the highest clearance level.” Charlie looked at Dean, her brow furrowed in worry. “Sam said he had some other information too but he doesn’t want to discuss at your place. He’s worried it’s bugged now.”

“Why didn’t he tell me that?” Dean asked, annoyance beginning to boil just beneath his skin.

“He was pissed off at you?” Charlie offered with a shrug. “He also thought you wouldn’t listen.”

Dean let out a heavy sigh. “I just don’t see why it’s important. I mean, it’s classified information for a reason right?”

“I thought it was weird too but then Sam was so freaked out. I also think that’s part of why he’s spending less time in your guys’ room.”

“Not because he’s pissed at me?” Dean asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I’m sure it’s that, too.”

Dean ran his hands through his hair before he tilted his head back and closed his eyes. “Well, that sucks.”

 

*****

 

Sam tucked a strand of hair behind his ear as his eyes glazed over the same sentence for the fourth time. He shut his book with a sigh and looked at Reina who was working on her homework, much like he should have been.

“What’s wrong?” She asked, not looking up or stopping her work.

“Nothing,” Sam said with a sigh as he leaned over the table to look at her work.

“Liar.”

“I don’t get how you can talk and write calculus proofs at the same time,” Sam said as he looked over at his book forlornly.

Reina looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. “I understand derivatives. Math makes sense and I can see the patterns. You’re better with spatial and visual understanding,” she shrugged and smiled, “We all have our strengths.”

Sam opened his book again and stared down at the chunk of text that couldn’t hold his attention long enough for him to commit the information to memory. “I just can’t focus,” he said with a sigh. He looked around the library, grateful that they’d managed to find a corner all to themselves with a large table to spread their books across.

“One more problem and then I’m done, okay?” Reina said as she furrowed her brow in concentration. Sam watched as her pen danced across the paper, amazed at how quickly the gears in her head turned. Her hair was pulled into a loose ponytail but large ringlets fell to the side and framed her face, making her appear younger.

“Ok, done,” Reina said as she put her pencil down and grinned. “So what’s eating you? You’re usually done with your work before me and we’ve spent almost every day in the library lately.”

“I like the library,” Sam said sheepishly.

“Don’t get me wrong, I do too,” Reina said with a laugh, “but is this about Dean? Are you still avoiding him?”

Sam lowered his voice and inched his chair closer to the table as he leaned across. “Partly, but I also think my room is wired now, so I feel weird being in there.” He let out a huff of air, “I feel like I have to watch everything I say.”

Reina let out a groan, “Really? There go our drinking nights,” she said with a frown.

Sam glared at her and his lips pulled tightly together in a thin line.

“I’m just joking,” Reina said as she kept her voice low. “I thought when you got arrested it was just a slap on the wrist kind of thing?”

“It was,” Sam said as he tucked his long hair behind his ears again, “I’m pretty sure they believed me when I said I accidentally stumbled onto the restricted files.”

“So why would they be tapping your room?”

Sam looked around him and tipped back in his chair for a moment to check for any librarians who might overhear them. “I found something, and I don’t think I’m supposed to know about it. I don’t think anyone is supposed to know.”

“What is it?” Reina asked, her eyes wide.

“Not here,” Sam said as he shook his head. “I also don’t want to drag you into this, Rei.”

Reina let out a huff of air as she waved her hand. “My dad’s a law enforcer and my mom is pretty high up in the science division. I’m not too worried.”

Sam rolled his eyes at her. “Anyway, I’ve just been on edge about it and maybe I’m just paranoid,” he trailed off.

“Have you told Dean?” Reina asked as she ran a hand through her hair and pulled it back into some semblance of ponytail again.

“Not yet.” Sam averted his eyes. He knew he’d been putting off talking to Dean because of their fight. He wasn’t even that pissed anymore, he felt mostly guilty and a little stupid because Dean had been right. Still, Sam felt that it was worth it, especially if what he knew could help people.

“I think you should, and then you should also fill me in...ya know, being your best friend and all.”

“Maybe,” Sam said with a smirk.

 

*****

 

Dean walked slowly down the corridor of the hallway, taking his time before getting back to his room. If what Charlie had said was true, then it made it even more likely that Cas also was telling the truth. Dean slowed to a stop as he nearly ran into his brother outside of the room, also standing hesitantly outside the door.

“Hey,” Sam said.

“Hey.”

“Uhh, do you have a minute?” Sam asked as his eyes darted around the hallway.

“Sure,” Dean said as he eyed his brother suspiciously. “Not here though, right?”

Sam looked at him in as first surprise and then relief crossed his face. “Yeah.”

“Let’s go towards the hangar,” Dean said as he tapped his badge. “There’s a few private places I know,” he said with a wink to lighten the mood.

Sam let out a small chuckle as he followed Dean. They went around to the side of the hangar where Sam had first snuck on to see Dean off during his first mission. As the doors closed shut behind them, Sam let out a sigh. Dean leaned back against the railing as he faced his brother.

“Let’s put that other crap behind us, okay?” Dean offered with a shrug.

“Yeah, and I’m sorry Dean, I should have listened to you.”

“Can’t go back now,” Dean said. He tilted his head up to the ceiling high above them and closed his eyes. He felt like they were about to open a can of worms, or more-so, Sam already had opened it and they had no choice but to deal with the consequences.

Dean dropped his gaze back towards Sam and lowered his voice. “Charlie told me you found some information and now our room is bugged and who knows what else.”

“Look, Dean, I didn’t mean to even go that far. I found the plans for Cas and that was fine but then there was more and I somehow found all these old files.”

Dean raised an eyebrow at Sam’s curiosity excuse but motioned for Sam to continue.

“Dean, they have accurate and feasible plans for water purification on Terra. They’ve had them for years and done nothing,” Sam said in a whisper, his voice shaking slightly.

Dean groaned and ran his hands down his face as the words sank in. He wanted to be surprised, to say he’d never have expected it but the sad truth was that he’d always had a sneaking suspicion that everything was not as it seemed. It had all been too perfect, too perfectly laid out for him and this solidified it for him. Dean looked over at his brother and let out a large exhale. “This is way above my pay-grade, Sammy.”

“So what, we’re not supposed to do anything about that? What about the people on Terra?” Sam crossed his arms in front of his chest as he glared at his brother.

Dean thought about Cas, about Bobby and Jody’s family who had died from drinking unsafe water, and his chest grew tighter as he thought about his mom who had died from those same causes. Dean thought about the years spent on Terra with water and food rations, unable to grow their own crops. He clenched his fists at his sides and looked at his brother with a determined grin.

“Of course we’re gonna to do something,” Dean said in low voice.


	14. Illumination

Castiel watched as Bobby held a steady hand to the stake in the ground and hit it with a small hammer, driving the stake in cleanly with several small hits.

“Here kid, now you try,” Bobby said as he walked the 12-year old over to another corner of the small tent. Cas looked behind Bobby to see Dean easily nailing in the stakes at the back half of the tent. “He’s done it dozens of times before. Don’t be afraid to learn just cuz someone else ain’t learnin’ with you,” Bobby said with a gruff tone.

Cas carefully positioned his stake and hit it on the head with the hammer gently. He looked over at Bobby who seemed to be hiding a smile. Cas shook his head and tried once more, breaking ground.

It didn’t take him long to get the hang of it, despite Dean finishing his half of the tent well before Cas did his. Bobby showed them how to pull the tent up and gave them each a flashlight as he walked back towards the house. Cas had never camped outside before, and Dean had never camped outside alone.

“Do you think we’ll hear any strange animals tonight?” Dean asked as his green eyes widened with excitement.

“I kind of hope not,” Cas said with a laugh. He crawled inside the tent and grabbed his sleeping bag. Dean followed suit, both of them giddy with excitement. Bobby’s house could still be seen from their tent but if they faced the other direction, they felt as if they were out alone in the wilderness.

“Do you have that bag of snacks?” Dean asked, pawing at the stash of stuff that had somehow been organized by Cas’ half of the tent.

“You’re already hungry?” Castiel asked as he rolled his eyes. They’d eaten around a campfire close to the house and Bobby had shown them how to make, what he called, “Singer’s S’mores” which ended up being the best thing Cas had ever tasted. He tossed a bag of pretzels to Dean who made a face.

“You gave me the worst snack,” Dean complained as he dove across Cas to reach for the bag himself.

“The leftover s’mores are mine,” Cas exclaimed.

Cas held the bag out of reach behind his back as Dean tackled him. “You’re lucky we’re still the same height—for now,” Dean said with a laugh as Cas kept the bag hidden behind him. Cas relented, tossing the bag at Dean’s face.

“Knew you’d give in,” Dean said with a cocky grin. He opened up a bag of s’mores, still warm, and handed one to Cas.

The light outside quickly faded and Cas grabbed a blanket as he stepped outside with his flashlight. “Do you think we can see some stars tonight?” he asked Dean.

Dean stepped outside and crinkled his nose as he looked at the hazy clouds above. “I dunno, Cas. It looks pretty cloudy still.”

Cas looked down at the ground in disappointment. He’d never camped before but he’d read about it in books and looking at the stars was something people always did. Dean grabbed the blanket from Cas’ arms and laid it out on the ground.

“Why don’t we look for lightning bugs instead?” Dean offered with a smile as he sat down on the blanket outside their tent.

“I guess,” Cas said with a small smile.

Dean went back to the tent for a moment and re-emerged with a grin on his face. “Ta-da!”

“You brought a glass jar?” Cas asked, bewildered.

“And a screwdriver,” Dean said as he raised it proudly. “You know, to poke holes, so the bugs don’t die.”

Cas tilted his head to the side in curiosity. “Awesome.” He’d somehow picked up the use of Dean’s favorite word.

Dean sat back down on the blanket and clutched the jar in one hand as he pressed down on the lid with his screwdriver. “I thought you might wanna catch some fireflies,” Dean explained between huffs as he pressed down on the lid, creating little holes.

Cas nodded as he looked at the ground, his ears turning slightly red. Dean could be stubborn and obnoxious but he was also kind and thoughtful too. Cas knew he had the best friend someone could ask for.

“Here, check it out,” Dean said as he stood and handed Cas the jar.

“I hope we catch some,” Cas said with excitement.

“Mmhmm,” Dean murmured in agreement.

They walked further from their tent, tall grass itching at their legs. Cas could hear the whir of clusters of gnats nearby and every so often he saw the light from a firefly.

“Over here,” he called to Dean as he grabbed Dean’s arm. “I saw one.”

They walked quietly together, capturing as many fireflies as they could. More fireflies escaped than they actually caught but Cas was happy with just a few inside his jar. He hummed happily to himself as they walked back to their tent after nearly an hour of chasing bugs.

Dean used his flashlight to guide them back and every so often he’d stick it beneath his chin and whisper a creepy sentence in Castiel’s ear.

“Dean, that’s not frightening in the least and I know it’s you because we’re the only ones out here,” Cas said in obstinance.

“Are we, Cas? Are we?” Dean asked before he let out a bellowing laugh.

Cas rolled his eyes but grinned, grabbing the flashflight from Dean and narrating his own scary tale.

As they reached their tent, they both dropped down onto the blanket and held up the jar of fireflies.

“We didn’t get that many,” Dean said as he stuck his bottom lip out slightly, pouting.

“That’s ok,” Cas said, “Look, we can see them lighting up!”

Dean grinned as he stuck his face close to the jar. “Awesome.”

Cas watched his friend and watched the light flicker and dance in his eyes. A warm fondness stirred in his heart and he smiled widely.

“Awesome.”

 

*****

 

Castiel pulled at the suspenders on his shoulders before moving them to let them hang at his sides. He trailed behind Anna as she walked towards the water warehouse to do the change of shift check. Cas hadn’t been able to keep a smile off his face all week and he anxiously checked the flight board each day for when Dean would return. Despite Dean’s reassurances, Cas was still worried that their next meeting would be awkward. He still wasn’t quite sure where they stood with one another.

“Hey, Cas,” Anna said as she waved her hand in front of his eyes. “You still here?”

Cas blinked a few times as he realized they were at the warehouse. “Sorry,” he said with a sheepish grin.

Anna opened the warehouse door with a large yank and stepped inside, her footsteps echoing. Cas rarely worked inventory but even he knew as he stepped inside, they had a problem.

“There’s not enough water here for the town to last another week,” Cas exclaimed as his hands dropped to his side.

“I know,” Anna said, turning back around to face Cas. “Especially if there’s a storm and the delivery can’t make it down here.”

Cas made a face and pinched at the skin on the bridge of his nose. “How could Celsphere let it get so bad?”

“There’s no delivery scheduled, right?” Anna asked, clearly having noticed Cas’ obsession with checking the board.

Cas shook his head.

“Maybe you should ask Dean why his plane is never carrying at capacity?” Anna asked cautiously.

“I will, Anna. I will.” Cas knew she meant no harm by the insinuation and it was something that had long bothered Castiel, even before Dean had returned. Cas knew it wasn’t just Dean’s deliveries either, nor just the ones in their town. This wasn’t the first time he’d seen a small town’s water stores depleted and forgotten.

 

*****

 

Castiel let out a sigh of relief as he wandered past the flight board, completely innocently checking it as he went about his job duties. He’d been on edge the past two days after Anna had shown him the lack of water resources for the town. He savored every cup of water he drank and cut his shower time in half just to be safe. When he saw a scheduled delivery for that day, his heart rate increased.

However, that was just one part of his mixed feelings about seeing Dean again. He’d had enough time to dream up a million scenarios in which everything went wrong and perhaps what had happened in the ravine between them was better off not happening again. Cas’ emotions changed like the wind; he was sure of himself one day and unsure the next.

The day seemed to drag with the daily maintenance on the tarmac, the receiving of other food deliveries from neighboring towns and the long-overdue medicine delivery from St. Louis. Castiel unpacked each car quickly, working up a sweat in the hot sun. He wanted to be free when Dean’s plane arrived, even though his shift was nearly over. It felt like eternity before the hangar was clear again and Cas sat down on a nearby wooden crate as he pulled a rag from his pocket to wipe the sweat from his brow.

It was only mere minutes before Cas’ ears perked up at the sound of rotating propellers and he looked up to see a small plane approaching the runway. A smile crossed his face as he pulled his suspender straps back onto his shoulders and stepped out to greet Dean.

True to his work ethic, Cas first helped unload the delivery before he began to check the engine. It’s not a necessary task for every flight but Cas found himself unable to not check the engine prior to Dean flying again; no matter who else had done it before him.

Cas felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder and he spun around with a small grin.

“Making sure she’s good to fly again?” Dean said with a cocky grin. “Bad news, there’s a storm rolling in so you won’t be getting rid of me that quickly.”

Relief flooded through Castiel’s body as he let out a small chuckle. “That’s unfortunate, indeed,” he replied.

Cas looked at Dean and tilted his head slightly to the side as he admired (not for the first time) how perfectly Dean’s uniform fit him and the way the sun bounced off his green eyes, illuminating the specs of gold in his irises.

Dean chuckled as he averted his eyes after a moment and began to rub at the back of his head. “So uh, yeah, I’m probably staying the night.”

Castiel’s face flushed slightly as he thought of inviting Dean over. The idea had festered inside his mind and he’d even cleaned up his house that morning, but actually coming out and asking Dean over felt a bit too much like a date and the thought terrified him.

“Maybe I’ll see you later?” Dean asked as he stepped away, holding up a finger to his red-haired co-pilot who was urging him onwards.

“Wait,” Cas said, stammering slightly. He could feel the tips of his ears go red but he ignored it. “After you stop at Bobby’s, would you want to come over for dinner?” There he’d done it. He exhaled quietly.

Dean’s face lit up with a smile. “Definitely.”


	15. Take Me by the Hand

Dean pushed away his plate and leaned back in his chair. “That was great, Cas. When did you learn to cook?”

“I won’t lie and tell you I know how to cook anything other than simple pasta,” Cas said with a shrug.

A small smile spread across Dean’s face as he took a sip of the beer Bobby had made him bring over. He watched as Cas stood up and walked around to the inside of the kitchen to clean up. Dean grabbed his own plate and followed.

“I’ll help,” Dean offered with a smile, ignoring the surprised look on Cas’ face.

“Thanks, Dean.”

The kitchen was small and they kept bumping into one another, their elbows grazing as Cas washed the dishes and Dean dried them. They worked in silence, and Dean felt new tension in the air as he looked over at his friend, his face slightly flushed from the heat of the running water.

Dean swallowed and looked away, his own ears reddening slightly. His mind drifted back to their previous time together and he felt his dick twitch. Shit. He looked down and kept his eye on the pan he was washing as he told himself to calm down and think of something else; anything else.

Thankfully, they didn’t have many dishes to wash and Dean was able to keep his own dirty thoughts at bay successfully, for the time being. He walked over to the window in the living room and peered outside, the grey clouds above had turned dark and the wind howled slightly.

“It’s not a bad storm,” Cas said as he came up and stood slightly behind Dean.

Dean’s breath hitched in his throat as he leaned back, his shoulders grazing against Cas’ chest. Neither one of them moved, stuck on a precipice of something large and intimidating; something real.

Lightning flashed outside and Dean closed his eyes for a moment, allowing himself to focus on every inch of his body that touched Cas. He could feel the rise and fall of Cas’ chest in time with the warm breath that flowed by gently by his ear.

“Do you remember that time we caught lightning bugs?” Cas asked gently. “When we were kids.”

Dean nodded as he kept his eyes closed, reveling in the closeness of Cas and the gravelly quality to his voice. “Mmhmm,” he murmured.

Cas placed a hand on the side of Dean’s hip and Dean jumped slightly, feeling the electricity that hummed between him. Thunder clapped outside and Dean leaned further back against Cas, letting him know it was alright to continue. Dean’s dick twitched as Cas’ hand pressed firmly against his hip bone, guiding his body back flush against Cas’.

Dean let out an exhale and his eyes fluttered open. He turned around slowly and and Cas learned forward to press his lips gently against his. Dean’s stomach turned in nervous anticipation as long-denied desires found themselves met.

They kissed languidly and lazily, discovering one another. Cas took control more often than not and Dean found himself a willing participant, submitting to Cas. It was a new and exciting reversal of their relationship and any that Dean had experienced before. They inched slow backwards, running into the couch and toppled over, Dean on top of Cas.

“Sorry,” Dean said with a laugh as he placed a long kiss on Cas’ neck.

Cas grinned but his cheeks flushed a deeper pink as his eyes wandered towards his bedroom. “Would you like to move elsewhere? Of course, I also mean you can sleep if you’d prefer. In general,” Cas said hesitantly.

Dean sat back and tried to keep his expression normal, while also pressing a firm hand to his already hard dick to prevent it from being painfully obvious. He wasn’t a virgin in any way, but he was new at this. He wasn’t experienced in this, besides a few dirty magazines he’d found in his teenage years. He looked back at Cas and shrugged as he tried to hide his embarrassment.

“I’m uh, you know...new at this,” Dean said as he gestured between them.

Cas stood up and pulled Dean to his feet. He gave Dean a gentle smile. “I know. We won’t rush anything.”

Dean nodded and stood up, his erection straining the fabric of his now-wrinkled uniform. Cas looked over at him, his eyes wandering down towards Dean crotch. “You can borrow something to sleep in,” he said.

Cas’ room was clean and the bed was made, which surprised Dean. “Who makes their bed?” he asked in a joking tone.

“I do,” Cas replied as he tossed a t-shirt towards Dean.

Dean looked at the shirt and smiled, it was his Pink Floyd shirt from high school that had somehow made it into Cas’ stash. He threw it on quickly, his eyes resting on Cas as he too changed out of his stiff cotton work shirt. He had well defined muscles on his back that sent Dean’s mind into overdrive. Take it slow, he told himself with a deep breath.

They crawled into Cas’ bed and Dean laughed as he thought about the many times before they’d had sleepovers. They’d shared a bed at numerous points in their childhood, waking up tangled in the sheets with long awkward limbs strewn across one another. As Dean remembers it now, he recognizes the slow burn of want and desire that had burned somewhere deep inside him, even then.

Cas pulled Dean close to him again and ran a hand through his hair, sending shivers down Dean’s spine. Dean noted appreciatively that Cas chose to sleep without a shirt on and he ran his hand along Cas’ strong back and down his bicep. Cas closes his eyes as he presses his lips to Dean’s throat and began to suck gently, leaving small red marks trailing down Dean’s neck.

Dean thrusted his pelvis forward and moaned loudly as the tip of his cock rubbed against Cas’; damn the cloth between them. He opened his eyes as he pulled at the cloth of Cas’ boxers. Cas pulled back for a moment and looked at Dean carefully, his pupils large and his lips swollen.

“Are you sure?” Cas asked, his voice a low rumble.

“Fuck yeah, Cas. At least this part I know what to do,” Dean said with a smirk. He was nervous but that wasn’t a lie. He’d spent enough time cleaning the pipes for himself that he figured he could at least do this for Cas.

A slow grin spread across Cas’ face as he pulled his boxers off and threw them on the floor. Dean watched him as he lay back on the pillows and closed his eyes, his chest rising and falling quickly as Cas stroked himself several times languidly. Cas’ cock was long and red at the tip, different from Dean’s but not bad. Not for the first time, Dean found himself wondering what it would be like to have sex with a man.

Dean scooted closer to Cas and watched for a moment, watched as Cas’ eyebrows furrowed with each stroke and his lips parted slightly. Cas took Dean’s hand and moved it slowly onto his dick, both of them moving in motion together. Eventually Cas took his hand away and sat back, closing his eyes again as he kissed the top of Dean’s head.

Dean gripped Cas’ cock and pulled up and down in a steady rhythm, pulling pre-come from the tip and using it as lubrication. Cas moaned slightly and bit the bottom of his lip. Dean loved watching the slow flush that spread across Cas’ chest as he began to breathe harder. Dean moved his hand up and down faster, twisting his hands slightly at the tip of Cas’ dick, something he personally enjoyed.

Once Cas began to grip and clutch at the bedsheets, Dean made sure to keep moving in a fast rhythm, his own cock rubbing against Cas’ leg in a similar manner. Dean began to feel his own orgasm build as he watched his friend, eyes squeezed shut and head tilted back as he moaned. Dean loved seeing Cas so open and vulnerable and he felt himself right on the edge as well.

Cas came a moment later, and he slowly let go of the bedsheets and removed the hand that had been squeezing Dean tightly on the shoulder. Cas opened his eyes as he took a deep breath and a relaxed smile spread across his face.

“Was that okay?”

“That was great, Dean,” Cas said as he pulled Dean forward for a soft kiss.

“Do you need me to return the favor?” Cas asked as he glanced down at Dean.

“Ummm, no, I think that took care of me too,” Dean said with a sheepish laugh.

Cas shrugged and chuckled, “We can get cleaned up and sleep, if you’d like to stay here,” Cas paused and his voice went softer, “I would really like that.”

“Me too,” Dean said with a grin, suddenly exhausted from the rollercoaster of emotions and new experiences.

 

*****

 

The next morning, Dean nibbled on a piece of toast as he waited for Cas to finish showering. He’d forgotten the short shower times on Terra and hadn’t even begun to wash his hair before the water shut off automatically. Cas had laughed and told Dean he could take a second shower in an hour if he didn’t mind waiting; giving up his own. Dean had declined, and thus all daydreams about shower sex had been quickly squandered from his mind.

As he waited for Cas, Dean realized he’d have to leave soon. In fact, he was surprised Charlie wasn’t knocking at the door already telling him to hurry up. He checked his watch and pulled at his uniform anxiously. When Cas wandered out, Dean felt a longing stab of pain as he realized that they would always be stuck sharing this time in-between.

Cas gave Dean a smile as he ran his hand through his wet hair. “Did you have enough to eat? Sorry, I don’t usually keep much here,” Cas said.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

Cas looked at Dean again and tilted his head to the side. Normally Dean loved when he did it, a strange mix of inquisitiveness and intuition as he tried to read others. However, Dean’s heart hurt just slightly as he realized all the parts of his life he’d never get to share with Cas.

“Are you okay?” Cas asked, stepping forward.

Dean nodded, “Hey, remind me to introduce you to Charlie next time. I wish you could see Sam again too,” Dean trailed off. “Maybe I’ll see if he can fly with me sometime. You’d like his friend Reina too.”

“What is this about?” Cas asked tentatively. He held a piece of toast between his fingers as he paused.

Dean shrugged, feeling suddenly petulant and child-like. “I just realized that I’ll be leaving and how much it sucks.”

“You left me before,” Cas said slightly cooly, a touch of a past hurt flaring up.

Dean narrowed his eyes, “I never said it was easy to leave you behind, Cas.”

“I know, Dean. But it’s even worse to be the one who was left behind. I was lost when you left.”

“Why didn’t you come?” Dean demanded, his voice rising slightly. It was a question that had haunted him for years and that he still couldn’t get a straight answer for.

“I didn’t have a choice,” Cas said as he put his toast down, untouched. “I need to get to work and I believe you have to return as well.” Cas looked down, his eyes sad and forlorn but it did nothing to stave Dean’s building anger.

“Are you fucking kidding me, Cas? After all...this, you won’t tell me?”

“Dean, please,” Cas asked as he grabbed at Dean’s arm to stop him from walking towards the front door.

Dean shrugged him off. “Save it, man. Every time I think I know you, I realize you’re the one who doesn’t trust me.”

He stared back at Cas facing yet another great divide as neither of them moved. Dean scoffed as he turned around and stomped outside.


	16. Call-signs

Dean wandered back to the center of town, kicking at the gravel at his feet as he walked. He felt worn out, as if he’d run a marathon even after a peaceful night of sleep. He looked at the sun in annoyance and shielded his eyes. His shoes scuffed along the ground and he tugged at the red armband around his sleeve. Everything seemed to annoy him, his own clothing even felt like it no longer fit him properly.

What the hell’s wrong with me? Dean wondered, slightly disgusted at himself for throwing a fit at Cas. He hung his head as he continued on slowly, ignoring the alarm beeping on his watch telling him he should already be taking off. “Fuck,” he mumbled to himself. He thought of Cas and how gentle he’d been with him, and the hurt look on his face. I was lost when you left. The words echoed in Dean’s head and he choked out a bitter laugh at the irony; Dean had felt the same way all along.

Dean tucked a hand into his coat pocket and was surprised when his fingers grazed a folded piece of paper inside. He stopped abruptly and pulled it open, dread and guilt building inside.

Can you get me the plans for a shield so I can fix the plane up? No hacking or getting in trouble please. -C

A painful smile crossed Dean’s face as he clutched the note in his hand. He might be an asshole but he’d at least try to make up for it. He figured Cas wrote that note sometime the previous night; he was always the worst at asking for favors. Dean looked down at the note again and made a choice.

He jogged the rest of the way to his plane and paused only for a moment to flash a brilliant smile at Charlie as he ran past her and into the main office. Panting, he pulled the glass door open and hoped that he’d find Jody.

Dean walked up to the desk and rang the bell on it. He smiled as Jody came out of an office, a confused look on her face. “Whew, you had me worried, Winchester. I wasn’t expecting anyone here. About to close up after your plane leaves,” she said as she looked at him suspiciously.

“I promise I’ll be on my way in a minute,” Dean said as he flashed her a smile, “I just have a favor to ask.”

“Aren’t you already really late?”

“Yeah, it’s fine,” he said as he waved his hand in the air. “Can I borrow a piece of paper?”

Jody handed him a notepad and scrutinized him as he scribbled out a few sentences and then folded the note up. “Can you give this to Bobby for me?”

“Sure thing, but what’s going on Dean?” She looked at him in concern, “Are you in trouble?”

“No, it’s just something for a friend.” Dean smiled again. “I promise it’s nothing illegal or dangerous.”

“Alright, Dean. I’m trusting you this time,” Jody said with a wink as she put the note in her pocket. “I’ll drop this at Bobby’s later tonight if that’s alright?”

“Perfect,” Dean said as he stepped back, “I’ve gotta run, thanks Jody!”

“It’s Sheriff Mills!” Jody called behind him and he smiled as he jogged back towards the hangar where he was sure to meet his scowling co-pilot.

 

*****

 

“Dude, could you be more fidgety?” Charlie asked as they prepared for take-off from Celsphere. Dean tapped his fingers along the wing of the plane as he waited for the deck crew to refuel and finish their checks. “We were just there last week,” Charlie said as she gave him a long stare. “Did you freak out on your friend?” she asked in a quiet voice.

Dean looked up in contemplation. “Not for the reasons you think,” he explained with a shrug.

Charlie let out a huff of air. “Well I still can’t believe you’re getting some action before me this year.”

Dean raised an eyebrow at her. “I’d say I’m not surprised but...I really kind of am.” Dean paused and tapped his fingers again on the plane. “What about what’s her name...Dorothy?”

“I dunno, man. I might have read it wrong and she’s been super busy lately.”

“Keep trying?” Dean suggested lazily. He wasn’t really the best at giving advice.

Dean turned around as one of the deck crew, Garth, handed him a sheet to sign. Dean glanced at it and prepared to sign it but noticed the cargo amount at the bottom. “Hey, man, why are we bringing almost nothing down?”

Garth was tall and gangly looking but one of the nicest deck crew people. Dean figured out of everyone, he’d be the one to ask about the odd amounts of water they brought down. Dean thought about how Cas had mentioned it briefly last time, and he realized they rarely, if ever, brought a full stock with them.

Garth grabbed the clipboard and checked it over, comparing it to a sheet of paper he pulled from his pocket. “Looks like that’s the requested amount,” he said apologetically.  
Dean opened his mouth to protest but Garth continued. “I hear you though, that seems pretty bogus to send you down without a full hold. I can ask around and get you some answers but it might take a while.”

Dean looked over at Charlie who shrugged. “Should we wait or—?”

Garth rubbed his chin before he folded the paper up and tucked it back in his pocket. “You guys sign off on this one but I’ll have some answers next time you see me, okay? We’ll get ya flying out of here with a full delivery.”

Garth smiled and fiddled with his hat as he watched Dean sign the paperwork. “Thanks, man, I appreciate it,” Dean said with a smile. Part of him was still confused about the mistake in the paperwork and wondered if he’d just make things worse and get the crewman in trouble. He hoped not but he couldn’t do much else he realized as he hopped into the pilot seat.

 

*****

 

The flight down was easy and Charlie distracted Dean with anecdotes of her past relationships, always sure to leave out the gender in case their coms’ were bugged. Dean found himself laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes and before long they landed.

Dean secretly hoped that Cas wouldn’t be working so that he could check with Bobby about the note he’d written. His palms began to sweat slightly as he jumped down from his cockpit and quickly signed off on his paperwork. He looked at Charlie and realized he’d abandoned her every time they came to Terra.

“Hey, I’ve gotta do something and I hope I’ll be busy later on but would you wanna meet Bobby? I have something I think you’d like to see too,” he offered.

Charlie smiled brightly as she laughed, “You hope you’ll be busy later. You’re so obvious.”

“Is that a yes or—?”

“Of course it’s a yes,” Charlie said as she flipped her hair over her shoulder. “I’ve actually met Bobby before while you were busy,” Charlie said, making air quotations around the word “busy”.

“Oh really?” Dean asked in surprise, remembering that the world had indeed kept turning while he’d been caught up in his own life and relationships.

“I think he’s got a thing for Jody, or maybe it’s the barkeeper Ellen,” Charlie trailed off. “I actually can’t figure it out yet,” she said with a laugh. “Anyway, I like Bobby. He’s a cool dude and he has all this banned media in it’s real form. I work off digital but man it was sweet to hold a real copy of Star Wars in my hands.”

Dean nodded as they began to walk towards his house. He kept his eyes peeled for Cas in case they ran into one another; in which he had no idea what he would say. As they walked, Dean ran through a mental checklist of the work they’d need to do and how long they’d have to do it. Given that the weather was beautiful, he didn’t think they’d have more than the day on Terra before having to travel back.

“I’m actually going to need a lot of help with something,” Dean said apologetically to Charlie. “I don’t want to spoil the surprise but I’ll tell you when we get there.”

“Are we stopping at Bobby’s first?” Charlie asked in confusion as they kept walking past the house.

Dean shook his head. “We’re going to the barn. Bobby should meet us there.”

“Ohh, a barn,” Charlie said, but Dean knew better than to take it sarcastically. She’d never actually seen a barn before and she skipped ahead of him with a large smile on her face.

When they got there, Dean let out a sigh of relief as he saw Bobby’s lawn mower nearby. He smiled when he saw that a large strip of grass had been mowed down right in front of the barn doors.

“This is a barn, Charlie,” Dean said with a smirk as they stood outside for a moment.

Charlie rolled her eyes but followed Dean in, only to stop and gasp. Dean turned to look at her as her eyes widened. “Dude, no,” she said as she stepped up and ran her hand along the nose of the plane.

She turned around again, “Did Cas build this?”

Dean nodded proudly, his cheeks flushing slightly. He turned to wave at Bobby who also looked quite proud, his arms folded across his chest and his beard twitching slightly as he made a poor attempt at hiding a smile.

“Heya, Bobby,” Dean said as he clapped a hand to Bobby’s shoulder. “Thanks for helping me out with this.”

“I assumed you done pissed off Cas somehow by saying somethin’ dumb so I couldn’t say no.” Bobby grinned as he looked at Dean, “And I think it’s time you put more work into her considering how much Cas has done.”

Dean nodded, “I agree. It’s my turn.”

Dean unrolled a large schematic of the barrier shield used on his plane. He’d gone all out, especially because they were doing it without Cas’ help and they’d be lucky to get it working. Bobby let out a low whistle and pulled the corner of his jeans up on his hip. “We got some work to do.”

Thankfully, Charlie was a bit of an unexpected genius and was able to assemble most of the shield with Bobby while Dean worked on another modification he’d planned. He didn’t say much to Bobby or Charlie about it, scared that he’d chicken out of doing it.

As soon as they were busy working, he ran back to Bobby’s junkyard and pulled out an old set of large stencils. They hadn’t been used in 10 years and were right where Dean had last seen them. He carried the stencils he needed back up the hill along with two buckets of silver paint.

Setting his materials down on the ground, he looked up at the plane and scratched at the nape of his neck. “You can do this,” he told himself quietly.

 

*****

 

Dean’s heart beat quickly in his chest as the sun began to set and the gnats buzzed around his ears as he waited. He checked his watch again and tapped his foot anxiously against the door of the barn. They’d finished just in time, leaving a little over an hour to spare before their scheduled take-off. Charlie had returned home with Bobby, who’d told Cas to go to the barn. Dean was actually mildly surprised at everything working out, minus Cas’ presence of course.

Dean began to wonder if Cas had decided not to come but noticed a mess of dark hair coming up the hill. Dean shrunk down lower against the barn, suddenly a little shy.

“Hello, Dean,” Cas says, eyeing him with confusion. “I was surprised when Bobby said I had to meet him at the barn,” he paused, “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Actually, Bobby’s not here either,” Dean said sheepishly. He kicked at the freshly mowed Indian grass in front of him. “I’m no good with this stuff so I’ll stop talking,” Dean said as he turned and pulled both barn doors open.

Cas stepped inside, a confused look on his face. He followed Dean around to the side of the plane before he let out a small gasp.

“Okay, so I kind of ripped off your apology idea because I’m a jackass,” Dean stammered. “I hope you like it, I mean, you can check the other side too because it is a pair.”

Cas raised a hand towards the new lettering painted onto the side of the plane. “Tinman” he murmured as he ran his hand along it. He turned to look at Dean, his eyes slightly misty.

“What does the other side say?”

“Go look,” Dean said as he followed Cas around.

“Lionheart,” Cas read out with a chuckle.

“Like the king, not the cheap action flick,” Dean explained with a small smile.

“You gave us call-signs,” Cas said as he stepped forward and pulled Dean towards him in a tight hug. Dean grabbed the sides of Cas’ face and gave him a passionate kiss; something he’d been unable to do in this same spot many years before.

“I know you hated that nickname as a kid but I thought it was kind of perfect, you know, because ours match,” Dean said as he pulled away, his head swimming slightly from their kiss.

Cas nodded and raised his hand up to touch the lettering. “This is perfect.”

Dean stepped back and looked at the ground, “It’s also because you give me courage, Cas. I just, wanted to let you know that.”

Cas smiled and grabbed Dean’s hand, squeezing it tightly. “And you had time to do this today?”

“I had help from Bobby and Charlie,” Dean said, his ears turning red at the praise. “Oh! I almost forgot, we added something else too.”

Dean hopped into the cockpit and flicked on the shield, which came up in a flurry of color before disappearing. He knew Cas couldn’t hear him outside of the shield so he just gave a thumbs up before he powered off the shield.

“Awesome, right?”

“Awesome,” Cas said with a nod, his blue eyes still misted over.


	17. Impossible is Possible Tonight

Dean sat on the roof of the old black car as he sucked on a popsicle they’d made the day before with Jody. He watched as Cas held up a large magnifying lens on the ground before he moved on.

“Hey, Cas,” Dean called out, just to watch Cas turn and raise the lens to his eye, making his blue eye appear large like a bug. Dean laughed and hopped down from the top of the car.

“What are you looking for?” Dean asked as he finished his popsicle and tucked the stick into his pocket.

“A bee,” Cas replied.

“Just one bee?”

Cas stopped and gave Dean a stare. “Well, I’d hope to find more but just one would suffice.”

Dean shrugged and decided to help Cas look. The school year had just started and they were in the same fourth grade class. They’d studied bugs and Dean knew that Cas had begun a strange fascination with them.

“Do you want to catch it?” Dean asked as he watched his friend.

“No, I just want to look at one.”

Dean scratched at his head. He looked around the junkyard as he tried to remember what their teacher had said about them. He was pretty sure they were rare, but Cas probably knew that already. “Where do bees live, Cas?”

“In beehives,” Cas replied as he stomped ahead of Dean towards the small thicket of trees behind Jody’s land.

Dean scrunched up his nose as he tried to remember what they’d learned in class. He was pretty sure there was no way they’d find a bee but he didn’t want to upset his friend. “I’ll be right back, Cas,” Dean said he ran back towards his house.

“What’s the rush?” Bobby asked as Dean ran inside and tore up the stairs.

“I need to know about bees,” Dean called down. He heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs as Bobby stood in the doorway of his bedroom, leaning against the frame. “And just what do you wanna know about bees?”

Dean sighed in frustration as he realized he’d left his book at school. “Cas wants to find one, so I want to help.”

Bobby scratched at his beard and made a noise. “Look, son, I ain’t seen a bee in 20 years. They all died out way before the war.”

“What,” Dean asked , his eyes wide with disbelief. “There’s no more left? At all?”

Bobby shook his head, removing his cap and replacing it back on his head. “I’m real sorry, Dean. I’m afraid that ain’t in the cards for Cas.”

Dean stood up and looked down at his shirt, stained with red juice from his popsicle. “I don’t wanna tell Cas that.”

He looked back up at Bobby, “All of them, Bobby?”

Bobby sighed and scratched at his beard again. “Listen, why don’t you find something else cool to show Cas? I’ll see if I can rustle up some old nature books for you kids later.”

Dean kicked at a toy car on the ground as he contemplated Bobby’s offer. “I dunno what else would be as cool but I guess.”

“You’ll find something,” Bobby said with a grin.

“Dean?” Cas’ voice called quietly from downstairs. “Where’d you go?”

“Coming!”

Dean ran back down the stairs and pulled at Cas’ arm as he ran out the back door again. “Let’s go look for a bee, okay?”

Cas grinned as Dean pulled him along outside until they were at the edge of Jody’s property. They stopped, both taking a minute to catch their breaths.

“Your tongue is all red,” Cas noted. Dean stuck it out at him and laughed.

“Can I use your magnifying glass?”

Cas handed it over as he followed Dean into the patch of trees. Dean walked a bit away from Cas as he looked for anything that he could show his friend. He knew Cas would be disappointed about the bees but if Dean could find something cool, he’d try to make up for it.

As Dean walked, he realized he’d gone a good ways away from Cas and onto the other side of the line of trees. He’d never gone so far and he was surprised to find a small clearing with several hills. He held up the magnifying glass for a moment before he put it in his pocket. He wasn’t looking for a bee anymore.

He looked along the ground as he walked and stopped in his tracks once he’d found what he wanted.

“Cas! Hey, Cas,” he called out as he ran back towards the thicket.

He ran up to Cas, his hand behind his back. “It’s not a bee but it’s really cool,” Dean said as he presented his wildlife find. “It’s some sort of rare flower I think, but it’s two colors!”

Cas’ eyes widened and he smiled, gums and all. “Dean, that’s a gerbera daisy. We learned about these in class last year.”

Dean shrugged, “I wasn’t paying attention to the part about flowers.”

Cas rolled his eyes as he looked at the flower. “I wonder why it’s both red and yellow.”

Dean leaned over to look at it again. “Mutation?”

Cas nodded and smiled. “I knew we wouldn’t find a bee,” he said in a quiet voice, “but this is cool too. Thank you, Dean.”

Dean beamed proudly.

 

*****

 

Dean threw his bag down on his bed and turned to give Sam a smile. He was in high spirits and he couldn’t keep a grin off his face.

“You look...cheery,” Sam commented with a raised eyebrow. “How’s Cas?”

“Good,” Dean replied with a grin. His brother made a strange face but Dean ignored it.

“You stay out of trouble?”

Sam rolled his eyes and made a gesture for Dean to watch what he said in their room. “Of course, Dean.”

Dean laughed and smacked his brother lightly on the shoulder. “How’s Reina, by the way?”

“Good,” Sam said in a mock imitation of the earlier question about Cas. Dean sat on his desk and put his feet up on his chair.

“You like her, right?”

“She’s my best friend, but fine, I’ll admit it if you admit something to me.”

Dean narrowed his eyes at Sam. He opened his mouth to protest with a witty remark but a knock at his door interrupted him. Perfect timing. Dean opened the door and was surprised to see Charlie in front of him. They’d just landed and didn’t have plans to hang out.

“Hey, what’s up?”

“The Captain wants to see us,” Charlie said, her voice shaky.

Dean looked over at Sam who looked just as confused. “I didn’t do anything,” he said in defense.

“Maybe it’s nothing bad,” Dean offered with a shrug as he followed Charlie out.

They walked down the long corridors and discussed various reasons for being called in. Dean knew for a fact that they’d had high marks. He didn’t care what the reasons or consequences were as long as his route wasn’t changed. As he thought about the prospect, his spirits fell quickly.

They reached the Captain’s quarters and each of them took a deep breath as they found Naomi’s office. They knocked tentatively and were immediately let in. They raised their arms in a salute and waited for Naomi to acknowledge them.

“At ease,” she said as she shuffled some papers and motioned for them to sit down.

Dean’s leg bounced up and down nervously in his seat and Charlie kept tucking her hair behind her ears. Naomi looked through more paperwork until she found what she’d been looking for.

“Alright, here’s your file.” She looked at each of them in turn. “You’ve done a great job with your work. Excellent commendations and the deck crew love you two.”

Dean let out a sigh of relief as he looked at Charlie and noticed the edge of her mouth turn up in a grin.

“However,” Naomi paused, “You are spending a suspicious amount of time on Terra.” She ran her finger down the folder in her hands. “Your overnight stays are double that of other pilots. You fly in on the earliest routes and leave on the latest.”

Dean gulped and his nerves returned. Charlie was the first to speak up, “Sir, the weather is unpredictable at best at our location and perhaps that is not so at other delivery sites.”

Naomi’s blue eyes sparked slightly. “That is exactly the excuse I plan to tell my superiors.”

Dean and Charlie exchanged a nervous glance. Dean knew it was his fault and he’d step up to take the blame if it came down to it.

“As it is, I’m going to closely monitor your flight times.” She looked at Dean, her eyes piercing. “I won’t be the only one, so fix your records before others start to ask questions.”

“Yes, sir,” Charlie and Dean replied in unison.

 

*****

 

It was a full week before they got another order. Dean spent the week making it up to Charlie by marathoning the Indiana Jones movies with her, which wasn’t anything to complain about from his end. He somehow also got out of an awkward conversation with his brother about his relationship with Cas. As Dean watched his plane get loaded up, he realized he didn’t see the crewman Garth anywhere.

“Hey,” Dean said to the girl fueling hs plane. She turned and glared at him, her dark eyes full of fire. Dean glanced down at her name on her shirt. “Hey, Meg,” he said as he flashed a smile.

“What?”

“Where’s that other guy, Garth? He was checking into something for me last time I flew out.”

The girl rolled her eyes as she smirked. “He got downgraded. I dunno what he did but it pissed someone off.”

Dean’s face fell and he stepped back, not bothering to thank her for the information. He looked at Charlie and shrugged as he signed off on his paperwork. They’d talked about it at length but Dean wasn’t sure how far he could push his luck with his questions. As he took his seat in the cockpit, he pulled out the small notebook he’d packed.  
Charlie stood outside the plane as Dean wrote out his note, unsure of exactly how much scrutiny he’d be under on Terra. He’d promised Cas he’d look into the water supply delivery but so far he’d found nothing. He scribbled as much information down as he could, his handwriting sloppy and uneven across the unlined page.

C,  
I’m working with Charlie and Sam to find out some information. We keep hitting dead ends. Not sure if we’re just not good at this or if we’re being stopped intentionally. I wish we could help more. My flight times are being closely monitored. Not sure if I’ll have time to see you or not. I’ll pass along notes when I can. Wish it wasn’t like this. -D

Dean paused, frowning at his paper. It sounded like a telegraph; impersonal and distant. He wasn’t the one who was good with flowery words or funny jokes in notes, that had always been Cas.

Ps: Please build a com device we can use between our two worlds. Or attach an inappropriate photo for me. Just kidding (not really, you can do it if you want).

Dean smirked to himself and tore the paper out of his notebook, folding it up into a small square. He tucked it safely into his coat pocket and patted it for good luck. He looked over to Charlie and caught her eye, giving her a thumbs up.

When they landed on Terra, Dean cut the engine as fast as he can, hoping to save his precious few minutes. Charlie followed suit, trailing Dean out and signed her name quickly on their paperwork. She scanned the tarmac for Cas and pointed him out to Dean, who was doing the same.

“Thanks,” Dean said with a grin. He still had to drop his paperwork off inside but he hoped Cas would meet up with him as he walked. He caught Cas’ eye and tilted his head towards the main office. Cas seemed to understand as he rolled his sleeves up and said a few words to the man he was working with.

Dean took a moment to appreciate Cas’ tan skin that glimmered with sweat and the way his bangs clung to his forehead, small curls behind his ears. Dean reached inside his pocket once more to check that he still had his note.

The office was nearly empty and a woman Dean didn’t know was at the desk. He was grateful since he simply had to hand her his report and then he was done. He checked his watch and grinned. The whole process had taken half the time it usually did. He pushed the door open and stepped out of the office.

An arm reached out and pulled Dean around the corner into a nearby closet. Dean grinned as he recognized the tan leathered hands. He stumbled into the closet and was met with a passionate kiss as Cas pushed him up against the door as it shut behind them.

Dean groaned as he wound his hands through Cas’ damp hair and their hips thrust together urgently.

“I’ve waited all week for this,” Cas growled.

“Fuck,” Dean replied as he closed his eyes and allowed his hands to travel down and grab at Cas’ firm ass. Cas was all sinewy muscle and tan skin. He smelled like sweat and like the earth. Dean opened his eyes to take in the flushed skin across Cas’ cheeks and his wide blue eyes that were dilated in the dim room.

Dean caught Cas’ lips with his own again and bit gently on Cas’ bottom lip in urgency. Dean felt Cas rake his hands through his own hair and he shivered at the touch, his nerve endings on fire for Cas’ touch.

Dean tucked two fingers into the loose pants that hung off Cas and pulled him closer. His own boner matched that of Cas’, which was apparent even through the loose fabric of his cargo pants. Dean licked his lips and looked at Cas with a grin.

Two small knocks at the door startled them and they broke apart from one another. Cas knocked into a broom that fell and smacked against the door, while Dean backed further against the door and bruised his back on the doorknob.

“Shit,” Dean whispered.

He opened the door a crack and breathed a sigh of relief.

“Fuck, Charlie. You gave us a heart attack.”

Charlie looked behind Dean as Cas stepped out. Her gaze moved from one to the other and then back to Dean. “I guess I don’t need to ask what was going on in there,” she said with an eyebrow raise.

Cas shut the door behind him and looked down at the ground as a deep red colored his cheeks. Dean coughed and tried to think of anything to make his dick go down, which he suspected Cas was doing as well.

“Is it too early to make a joke about coming out of the closet?” Charlie whispered to Dean. He glared at her in return.

“Hi, I’m Charlie by the way,” she said as she looked back at Cas. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

Cas raised his head and smiled slightly. “It’s nice to meet you too, although I wish it had been under different circumstances.”

Dean covered his eyes with his hand and hung his head. “Shit,” he mumbled in embarrassment.

“As much as I’d love to stay and chat, I was looking for you for a reason,” Charlie explained. “The next flight path opens up soon and the plane is almost refueled.”

Dean groaned loudly. He hadn’t really told Cas anything about their shorter visit times, or well very few words had transversed in general. “Crap, I almost forgot,” Dean said as he reached into his pocket.

“I’ve gotta go, Cas, but read this,” Dean said with an apologetic look.

Cas nodded and give him a small smile before he reached into his own pocket and gave Dean a small folded paper plane. A wide smile spread across Dean’s face as he tucked it safely into his pocket.

“I’ll see you later, yeah?” Dean longed to reach out, to just touch Cas again but he restrained the urge as several workers entered the hallway. Cas give him a small smile as he waved.

Dean and Charlie ran back to their plane, checking their watches as they ran down the office corridors. Their heels clicked on the cheap linoleum and Dean was glad that they didn’t have too far to go. They were cutting it close on time and he could tell the deck crew wasn’t used to working under such a time crunch.

Charlie whispered apologies to the crew as they worked and she offered her assistance wherever possible.

Dean helped finish refueling his plane before he settled back into his cockpit, his heart rate still sky high. He paused for a moment to take a deep breath and collect his thoughts.

Slowly, he unfolded the note from Cas.

_You make the impossible possible. -Tinman_


	18. Incumbent Plans

Dean picked at his food in the mess hall as he tried to ignore the looks Charlie kept giving him. He pulled the note from Cas out of his pocket at stared at the words. He wanted to know how to help, he wanted to spend more than a few stolen minutes with Cas, and he wanted more than what he was told was supposed to make him happy.

Charlie leaned forward and poked at Dean’s jacket with the edge of her fork. “Stop moping, okay? Dorothy and I are working on a plan.”

He looked up slowly, his eyes narrowed. “I’m not moping.”

Dorothy raised an eyebrow but didn’t say a word.

Charlie turned her head to check that no one else was near their table. “Look, Dorothy’s been delivering less and less, and when she does it’s always a half ration.”

“It’s not just me and my co-pilot, but everyone I talk to,” Dorothy said, drawing her lips into a tight line. “I grew up on Terra too, Dean. I can’t sit back and do nothing.”

Charlie beamed at her friend, her cheeks flushing slightly. She coughed and turned her focus back towards Dean who was looking at her oddly. He tilted his head to the side as he thought about what Dorothy had said.

“I asked a crewman about it but he was demoted before he could give me any answers.”

A worried glance was exchanged between Charlie and Dorothy. “We know.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were already looking into this?” Dean asked in a huff.

“I wanted to have a solid idea of what to do before I even brought it up,” she gave him a small smile, “You’re the type to jump in even without a plan.”

Dean looked at Dorothy, “Did Charlie tell you about what Sam found? The plans for mass production of water purification devices.”

Dorothy leaned forward, her light blue eyes determined and full of resolve. “That’s unforgivable. When she told me, I nearly lost it. My father died of water illness as a child...and to think, we could have had clean water.”

Charlie put her hand on Dorothy’s forearm and squeezed it gently as she looked at Dean. “That’s why we’re going to do something about it.”

“I’m in,” Dean said quickly. His own anger towards the government had been recently kept at bay only by the pleasant feelings he had about Cas, but now even that had been threatened.

“You haven’t heard the plan yet,” Charlie said, a small grin on her face.

Dean looked between them and nodded slowly as the realization hit him slowly. It was illegal, all of it. Not like watching banned movies, or kissing another boy. This was get thrown in jail forever type of stuff. He let out a small huff of air as he committed himself to the cause.

“I’ll probably regret this later, but I’ll hate myself if I don’t do it,” he said with a small grin.

Charlie let out a large exhale as she nodded and stood up. “Let’s go back to my room.”

 

*****

 

The three of them settled on Charlie’s bed, their backs against the wall as their feet dangled over the edge. Charlie had her laptop open and Dean watched as she ran several scripting programs simultaneously, a blur of code in multiple boxes ran down her screen.

“Okay, so I’ve been thinking about this and we can’t really do much without more information, right?’

Dean nodded, his eyes meeting with Dorothy’s. Charlie looked at both of them before proceeding.

“There’s only one person who we can reach that has this kind of access.”

“Ezekiel,” Dean mumbled.

“Right.”

“I’ve hacked into his assistant’s computer and I have access to Ezekiel’s schedule for the week,” Charlie took a deep breath. “He’s supposed to fly to Terra in two days, and his assistant is scheduled to travel with him.”

Dean nodded, strengthening his resolve as he realized the danger in the plan. “So we need to break in and get his access codes?”

“And we’re hoping no one will be there to stop us, given our fake security clearances can get us that far?” Dorothy said as she sat back and pursed her lips.

Charlie gulped and looked at both of them. “I know guys, this is like next level dangerous shit. I’m not saying we have to do it but the way I see it, it’s our only way to find out more.”

“I’m in,” Dean said with a smirk. “I trust you’ll get us in.”

“Me too,” Dorothy chimed in.

Charlie tucked her hair behind her ears as she pressed a few keys on her computer. “I’m friggin’ terrified guys. I’m just a girl behind her computer. I don’t break into physical places, just digital ones.” She gave them both a small smile, “But I can do this. I have to do this.”

 

*****

 

Two days later, they stood in a hallway, two of them in stolen guard uniforms and Dean in his normal uniform. Charlie adjusted the yellow armband around her bicep and turned her radio to the channel they’d all decided on. Dean checked his own and let out a large exhale.

The plan was to use fake badges to get into the private sector and then for Dorothy and Charlie to pretend to be his military escorts. It would get them far enough and then Dean and Charlie would go on while Dorothy stood watch.

It really wasn’t a complicated plan and most of it hinged on the badges Charlie had made and some good luck. If they could get past the normal security, their uniforms should ensure they wouldn’t get stopped.

“We ready?” Dorothy asked as she straightened out the uniform that was slightly large on her.

Dean nodded and allowed Charlie and Dorothy to each grab an arm as they pretended to escort him through the corridor. Dean had never been this high up on Celsphere, they were on one of the top floors where the walls were illuminated with bright lights in rows. It almost hurt his eyes to look at them for too long so he kept his eyes downcast, hoping to avoid standing out too much.

The first security door was easy to get through. Their badges gave them access and they all gave one another excited looks. Dorothy stopped and pulled her radio out; this was where she needed to keep watch for them.

Dean stepped to the side as Charlie walked back towards Dorothy. He averted his eyes and pretended not to hear them as he fiddled with his radio.

“Thank you for helping,” Charlie said to Dorothy, warmth in her tone.

“I’d never dream of saying no.”

Dean looked over at them and noticed Charlie’s face flush a deep red. “I, uh, stay safe, okay?” Charlie relaxed her shoulders and looked back at Dorothy with a small smile. “Cuz I’m kinda into you.”

“I know,” Dorothy replied and Dean looked down quickly as a large grin spread across his face.

 

*****

 

Dean and Charlie came up to the next security door which required a keypad code. She swiped her badge and then gave Dean a small shrug. “I have three codes, and it’s one of these three.”

“It’s a gamble,” Dean said as he leaned forward to inspect the keypad. “But it looks like one, nine, and seven are the most used keys.”

Charlie nodded as she checked her handheld device. She took a deep breath and pressed a finger to the one key, then nine, seven, nine. The doorway changed from a red color to green and slid open for them.

Dean counted his blessings for all the banned movies he’d watched where a spy broke into a secret agency and used that trick.

“Onwards?”

“Onwards,” Dean said with a nod.

They came to one last door with no identifying marks or security on it. Dean shrugged as he pulled it open and then they were in. A small desk was set up along with several chairs, and two doors led into another room.

Charlie picked up the nametag on the desk, “This is the right place. This is his assistant.”

Dean stepped forward and pulled open the doors to Ezekiel’s office. The view took his breath away; one entire wall was a window and at this height, it truly felt like one was part of the heaven’s.

“Wow,” Dean said with a whistle. “Now this is an office.”

Charlie paused next to him to admire the view. “He who controls the heaven’s controls the world,” she said quietly as she shook her head.

Dean walked around the room slowly as Charlie got to work on Ezekiel’s computer. There were various artworks hung on the walls but all of it was impersonal. He didn’t see photos of a family or a home. He walked back towards Charlie to look at the large oak desk, organized and clean.

“You take care of the computer, and I’ll take a look at these drawers,” Dean said as he opened several at a time.

Charlie kicked the bottom drawer with her foot as she continued typing, “That one’s locked.”

Dean grinned and pulled out a lockpicking set he’d brought with him. “Not a problem,” he said.

“You can pick locks?”

“I grew up in a junkyard on Terra. Of course I can pick locks.”

Charlie chuckled but didn’t divert her eyes from her screen. “I’m in. There’s a ton of files to transfer though.”

Dean checked his watch and grimaced. He fiddled with the lock for a moment, slightly out of practice from years of not doing it. “Shit,” he said with a huff.

“I’m at 63%” Charlie said as she tapped her foot.

With an annoyed huff, Dean tried once more pick the lock on the drawer. He went slowly and closed his eyes, letting his senses take over as he listened for the quiet clicks. The drawer popped open and Dean raised a triumphant fist in the air.

“Got it!”

Both of their radio’s beeped and Dorothy’s voice echoed in the large room. “Guards on the way, hurry,” she hissed.

Dean reached inside the drawer, hoping to find files but instead his hand closed around a framed photo. He pulled it out and looked at it in confusion. It was Ezekiel with another man, and they were much younger and in military gear. Both were smiling at the camera and it was apparent they were not on this Celsphere, but another one entirely. Dean pulled the photo closer to try to make out the small flag on Ezekiel’s uniform but it was impossible.

“95%,” Charlie said in a strained voice. “We need to hurry.”

Dean shoved the photo back and slammed the drawer shut. Charlie grabbed her flash drive as it beeped and they bolted out of the room. Just as the door closed behind them, Dean shoved Charlie behind the assistant’s desk and told her to keep her head down.

He watched as Charlie tucked the flashdrive into her shirt, and he took a seat outside of Ezekiel’s office and waited for the guards to come.

Not a moment later, they walked in with their tasers drawn.

“Hands on your head,” they said as they pulled Dean to his feet. He kept from glancing towards the assistant’s desk and only hoped that Charlie would get out later. He’d figure out an excuse for being found outside the office of one of the most influential people on Celsphere; as long as Charlie had the information then it wouldn’t all be for nothing.

Dean let out a sigh as the guards quickly escorted him out and the door shut behind him. He grinned as they pushed him along and when they passed Dorothy, he gave her a wink.

He turned his head around for a moment to see her sprint towards Ezekiel’s office as Dean’s hands were cuffed and he was shoved into the elevator.


	19. Translucent

Dean rubbed at his wrists while walked back to his room, keeping his head low as a large grin spread across his face. He sat down on his bed and let out a maniacal laugh. They had actually done it. On top of that, Dean had gotten out of trouble by claiming innocence, that he’d wanted to meet with Ezekiel and had followed some officers in. No one was able to dispute his claim.

He laid on his back and took a deep breath as he let the adrenaline slip away slowly. He knew he should find Charlie and tell her he was fine but he felt a wave of exhaustion hit him. He rolled onto his side and took out the photo of Cas that he’d hidden away and looked at it with a grin before he grabbed a piece of tape and stuck it on his wall next to the other photos.

Cas’ words of encouragement had given Dean strength and he suddenly felt invincible. As he rest his head against his pillow, he fell into an even sleep.

 

*****

 

“What were you thinking?” Sam yelled as he entered their room and grabbed at Dean’s shoulder, waking him up.

Dean blinked several times and then yawned. He looked at Sam, still in a daze from his sleep. “Huh?”

“Charlie was freaking out and told me you were arrested, Dean.”

Dean sat up and rubbed at his hair, flattening it down. “You can see that I’m fine,” he said with a cocky grin.

“So it’s okay when you do stupid things but it’s not okay when its me?” Sam spit out bitterly. “I was worried about you. Charlie told me everything.”

“Look, Sam, I’m not dragging you into trouble. That’s just how it is.”

Sam rolled his eyes, “Such a double standard. I’m sick of it.”

Dean groaned and rolled over in his bed to kick his feet over the edge. “I’m not awake enough for this shit,” he complained.

He stood up and stretched, cracking his back as he turned his torso one way and then the other. “I’m gonna shower unless you have a problem with that too” Dean said over his shoulder as he walked towards their bathroom. He didn’t need to look back to know that Sam’s mouth would be drawn in a tight line as he glared at Dean.

Dean turned the water on and let it run over his fingers as he relished the gradual change in temperature. He shed his clothing and stepped into the shower, closing his eyes as he tipped his head back and let water run over his hair and down his back.

He rubbed shampoo into his hair slowly. The warm water beat down on him and felt himself finally relax slightly as the steam coated the room in a haze. He heard a small knock on the door before his brother stepped in.

“Heya, Dean. Jeez, it’s so damn hot in here. How do you shower like this?”

Dean smiled and shook his head. “You figure the bathroom’s not bugged, right?”

Sam paused a moment before replying, “Something like that.”

Dean heard Sam wipe at the mirror with his hand, the faint squeak of his hand against the glass.

“Look, I get it,” Sam started. “But you can’t leave me out of things.”

Dean stuck his head out from around the shower curtain, shampoo dripping down the sides of his face. “Sammy, trust me, if you could’ve helped, I woulda filled you in.”

Sam gave him a stern look again.

“Okay, maybe not. I just can’t let you throw away your chance for a life here.” Dean pulled the shower curtain closed again and let the water wash over his head. Small soap bubbles floated around his feet before swirling down the drain. He held his hands out, red from the warm water and starting to wrinkle.

Sam took a deep breath. “I have a life here, Dean, but Terra’s my home too.”

Dean was surprised to hear it and he lifted his head slowly. They rarely talked about their life at home, at least to one another. It had always felt like something they’d never see again and so it was like re-opening a wound—at least for Dean. He hadn’t known that perhaps Sam felt that way too.

His hands turned the knobs off and he grabbed the towel draped over the shower, wrapping it quickly around his waist. He stepped out of the shower and looked at his younger brother, whose eyes were slightly misted up.

“I miss it too,” Sam said with a small smile. “I miss Bobby, and Cas, and even Dad.”

Dean looked down at the floor as a small ache tore at his heart. Sam didn’t have the chance to see any of them again and the realization split him at the seams. He reached out and pulled his brother in for a tight hug.

Sam’s arms hung limply at his sides in surprise before he brought them up and returned the hug, embracing his brother in return.

 

*****

 

Several more days passed, during which Dean found himself anxious for something to happen. Charlie was still working on decrypting the files she’d taken from Ezekiel’s personal computer; even with his password everything was protected and hidden behind several firewalls. They hadn’t received orders either and Dean suspected it had something to do with the decrease in water deliveries all around.

Dean played a game of chess with Sam to kill the time even though his mind was elsewhere.

“Check-mate,” Sam said in a bored tone.

“Hmm?”

“You aren’t paying attention,” Sam accused. “I won again.”

“Sorry,” Dean said with a shrug. “All this waiting around is killing me.”

A loud knock on the door surprised them and they looked at one another. Dean stood up slowly and opened the door. Two guards with yellow armbands stood at his door and handed him a note.

“Ezekiel requests a meeting with you,” one of them said in a stern tone. Dean wondered if it had been their uniforms they’d stolen from the laundry sector.

“Can I pass on that?” Dean asked with a cocky grin.

“This isn’t optional,” the other guard said as she pressed the door shut behind Dean. “Please follow us. I believe you know the way, though,” the guard said.

Dean couldn’t argue with that and rolled his eyes.

The trip there was much faster and he noticed that the hallway had much more security this time. They passed through the security checkpoints quickly and Dean found himself in the same waiting room once again. He looked over at the assistant’s desk, which was now occupied by a young man with blonde hair.

Dean glanced at the nameplate again, Samandriel. The assistant didn’t look any older than Sam. He gave Dean a small smile once he looked up from his computer. The guards handed some paperwork to the boy before they glared at Dean once more and then left.

The heavy door shut behind them and Dean looked around, taking a seat in the small waiting area.

“Would you like anything to drink?”

Dean looked up startled, “Oh, uhh, no thanks,” he said. He hoped they hadn’t gotten this guy into trouble either because he seemed nice enough. Now that he had more time, he looked around the waiting area and noticed a lack of artwork on the walls. The only magazine on the table was “Celsphere Quarterly” which he picked up and flipped through briefly.

The phone rang and the kid at the desk picked it up quickly. “Yes, sir,” Dean heard him say before he looked up. “Mr. Adams will see you now.”

Dean stood up and squared his shoulders as he pulled open the doors to Ezekiel’s office and stepped inside. The view still took his breath away and he stopped as he noticed Ezekiel standing at the window.

The man turned and motioned for Dean to sit at the chair opposite his desk. Dean nodded as he narrowed his eyes at Ezekiel. He was dressed in casual clothing, dark jeans with a dark purple shirt and black leather jacket. It wasn’t what Dean expected. He thought back to his high school graduation and the stiff man he’d met in a suit.

Ezekiel lowered his gaze and looked directly at Dean, his eyebrows furrowed. He finally spoke, his voice stilted and of an even timbre. “Why did you break into my office? Or rather, what was the purpose.?”

Dean raised his hands in defense, “Hey, man, I told the guards already and they cleared me to go.”

“That is a lie, Dean Winchester.”

Dean blinked a few times in surprise. Ezekiel was a tall, intimidating sort of guy with a serious face. As the head of Tron Industries, he’d graced the cover of every magazine and was on the news every other day. He normally wore a small smile and said few words but they were all gracious. The man in front of him now was a different version of the one he’d seen on television.

“You don’t have proof,” Dean simply replied, trying to judge the best course of action.

Ezekiel stepped closer to his desk and tilted his chin upwards while his eyes were cast down at Dean. “I’m not here to hurt you or punish you,” he replied. “I know files were removed from my office, and I’d like to ask you to stop digging into a matter that you have no control over.”

Dean stood up abruptly, the legs of his chair scraping along the lacquered wooden floor.

“Are we done here?”

Ezekiel leaned across his desk, placing a large hand on the papers and wrinkling them. “I’m trying to right my wrongs. Keep that in mind if your friend can crack into my files. I will not hesitate to go to any lengths to stop you.”

“Likewise, man,” Dean said with a sneer.

“You have those you care about,” Ezekiel said suddenly as he stood back up and pulled his lips together tightly. “I’m simply trying to protect someone as well.”

Dean thought of the photo he’d found, locked and hidden away. A small bit of pity kept him from saying more.

“Can I go?”

Ezekiel nodded and turned back to face his window. Dean looked at him in confusion as he walked out. He’d been threatened, but the guy didn’t seem like someone who would follow through with it. In fact, Dean’s sure Ezekiel could have made up any reason to have Dean thrown in jail and it would have been done. It made his head swim as he was escorted back to his room with a million more questions than he’d started out with.


	20. Identities Uncovered

Dean hadn’t expected his only free day on Terra to be the one where Bobby was out of town picking up a part for the generator. In fact, he’d been slightly disappointed. Aside from stolen time with Cas spent hidden in a closet or behind the warehouses, Dean hadn’t seen much of anyone on Terra since his reprimanding.

They landed amidst dark storm clouds that made visibility terrible and Dean’s wish had been granted: an overnight stay on Terra. Despite the million other worries on his mind, Dean had missed the few dinners he spent with Bobby and the afternoons lounging in the barn with Cas as they fooled around.

Dean walked through the quiet house and slowly removed his uniform jacket. There was no note from Bobby, but Jody had let him know that Bobby was gone for the day. As expected, there wasn’t much to eat at the house. Dean ran his hand along the kitchen counter as he propped open the refrigerator door and looked inside. With a sigh he closed it and leaned back against the counter. The sky was already dark and he didn’t want to risk getting caught in the rain on the way to Cas’ house.

He stuck his lower lip out slightly as he realized that his only free night was going to be wasted; alone and with no food. He ran a hand through his hair as he trudged towards the front door to close the storm windows. At least Bobby would be thankful of that when he returned.

Dean stepped outside and was met with a strong gust of wind. He shook his head in resignation as he began to close the windows at the front of the house.

“You look like you could use some help,” a voice called out from behind him.

Dean turned around quickly as a smile spread across his face. Cas walked towards the house quickly as he glanced at the sky. He held up a small bag as he got closer, “Figured you might want some dinner since Bobby’s out of town,” he explained.

“If you help me close up the windows, definitely,” Dean replied as he let his eyes travel down Cas’ body. He was wearing tight faded jeans and a white and maroon baseball tee. Dean thought to himself that perhaps he was lucky after all that Bobby was out of town.

They ate their food and listened to the howling of the wind and the sound of raindrops smashing against the house. “This reminds me of when we were kids,” Dean said as he sat back, wiping stray crumbs from the side of his mouth. “Ellen with her sandwiches each time Bobby left town.”

Cas nodded as he stood up. “I’m a little ashamed to admit that she still does that for me fairly often.”

Dean laughed and rolled his eyes. “You’ve gotta learn how to cook, man.”

“Do you know how to cook?” Cas asked in defense of himself.

Dean shrugged, “Well, no, but I’d be willing to learn.”

Cas laughed and stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Dean’s waist and pulling him close. “I like that about you,” he said, his voice low against Dean’s ear.

It sent a shiver down Dean’s spine and he pressed his hips forward against Cas’. Cas responded by squeezing Dean’s hips slightly and doing the same. It didn’t take much for Dean to get hard, just feeling Cas’ dick through his pants had him nearly on his knees.

They hadn’t done much past giving one another hand jobs and blow jobs, most of it hurried and in cramped spaces, or in places that were far too public for Dean to be comfortable. The idea of the whole house to themselves made him nearly salivate at the prospect.

He’d been nervous at first about being with a man but Cas was a patient teacher and Dean was a willing student. The fact was, Dean found Cas irresistible either way so it wasn’t too hard.

Cas nibbled gently on Dean’s ear and Dean closed his eyes as they pressed their cocks together, straining against their pants. Dean let Cas travel down his jaw, pressing kisses and nibbling slightly as he went until he found Dean’s mouth.

Dean pulled at Cas’ bottom lip and let Cas suck on his own lips until they were puffy and tingled at the touch. It felt like an eternity passed of them making out, hips thrusting forward at one another as Dean pushed Cas back against the kitchen counter. His chest heaved with each breath as Cas rolled his hips back against Dean’s crotch slowly.

“Fuck, Cas,” he whimpered. “Upstairs, now.”

Cas obliged and followed, pressing a hand to his pants as the fabric rubbed against his erection. Dean would have laughed if not for having the same problem himself. He bounded up the stairs and pushed open the door to his childhood bedroom.  
He almost laughed as he thought about how badly he wanted Cas to fuck him. No, make love to him, Dean corrected in his mind. It somehow had never felt as easy to admit to himself that that’s what he longed for. Cas closed the door behind him and stepped towards Dean, looping his fingers through Dean’s waistband and pulling him forward.

Cas lifted the hem of Dean’s shirt gently over his head and then removed his own, tossing his shirt to the ground. They pressed together once against and Dean’s eyes fluttered closed at the sensation of their bare skin touching. Cas was all lean muscles and tan skin; the mere sight had him drooling let alone being pressed tightly against one another.

Dean wrapped his hands in Cas’ hair as Cas slid to his knees and slowly unzipped Dean’s pants. Cas gripped Dean’s hips tightly, and Dean moaned and threw his head back. Cas wet his lips and then sucked gently on the tip of Dean’s cock, holding him still in place.

Cas worked slowly, one hand trailing up Dean’s stomach and back down to grip lightly at his balls. Dean had never had such a slow and sensuous build to an orgasm and he tipped back on the heels of his feet to stop himself from coming.

The idea of sex had frightened him initially but he finally felt ready. The storm raged outside but somehow they were safe inside their own bubble, a world Dean was finally becoming more familiar with.

Cas stood up and looked at Dean with his blue eyes wide and curious. “Do you want to do more?” It was how it always was with Cas—there was no expectation or pressure, just a simple question that Dean knew the answer to.

“God, yes, Cas.”

Dean kicked away his pants that had been left in a pile at his ankles and Cas removed his own swiftly with a small grin. Dean admired Cas again as he turned on the lamp on his nightstand and turned off the overhead one. It cast the room into semi-darkness as the lightning outside illuminated the walls every so often.

Dean sat back against his small bed and wrapped his fingers around his own cock, stroking it several times at Cas watched. Cas stepped forward and pushed Dean gently back onto the bed as he straddled him.

Dean’s eyes fluttered shut as his bare cock rubbed against Cas’ and their balls rolled together in an easy rhythm. Dean bit down on his lip to keep from moaning loudly.Every inch of his body felt on fire as they touched. Warmth spread from his stomach to his fingertips, and he reached up to run his hands down Cas’ strong arms.

Cas learned forward and kissed Dean gently, each one pushing and pulling at the other. Dean’s face flushed as he realized that what he wanted was for Cas to be inside of him, for them to be as close as possible. It seemed such a silly notion, the extra closeness just a few inches would provide but Dean wanted it more than ever.

“Cas, do you want to—,” Dean stopped, unsure how to say it.

“I want that more than anything, Dean,” Cas said as he sat back and looked at Dean with a soft smile.

“Okay, one second,” Dean said as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed, ignoring his raging hard-on. He stepped over their discarded clothing to his closet and pulled open the door. He sat against the floor as he pulled at one of the baseboards. Cas padded over quietly, his brows furrowed.

“What are you doing, Dean?”

Dean pulled out several porn magazines and laughed. “Making sure Bobby didn’t find my old stash,” he said with a laugh as he looked at Cas.

Cas glared back at him, unamused.

“Hey, there’s a guy mag in there too, if you were curious,” Dean said, admitting it for the first time. He pulled out a small bottle of lube and a packet of condoms. He held them up triumphantly for Cas to see.

“I understand now,” Cas said with a nod and a smile.

Dean stood up and pressed a deep kiss to Cas’ lips before he walked back towards the bed, placing the bottle on the nightstand and handing the condom to Cas.

“Is this okay?” Dean asked tentatively. He wasn’t sure how to ask to be the one who got fucked but he assumed Cas would guide him through it.

“Of course,” Cas said as he placed his arms on Dean’s shoulders. “We’ll go slow.”

Dean nodded and sat back on the bed, his head on the pillows as Cas draped himself over Dean once again. Cas set the condom back on the nightstand as he kissed Dean and ran his hands through Dean’s hair.

Dean bucked his hips upwards again, looking for the friction of Cas’ dick against his own. Cas responded his legs once again straddling Dean’s hips as they rolled slowly together. Cas pulled slightly at Dean’s hair and Dean tilted his head up as Cas sucked dark bruises on his neck and down his collarbone.

“Fuck, Cas,” Dean whimpered gently. He tried to keep his eyes open, to watch the small flush of red across Cas’ chest and the way Cas’ lips parted each time their cocks pushed together again. “More,” Dean said earnestly as he moved a hand down to grip at the base of his dick.

Cas nodded as he pulled the lube from the table and spread a generous amount onto his fingers. He rubbed it between his palms before he pressed gently into Dean, one finger at first and eventually another.

Dean closed his eyes as the new sensation overwhelmed him, a mix of pain and pleasure that moved so slowly and had him aching hard again. He didn’t need to ask Cas for more. He opened his eyes as Cas pressed into him again scissoring his fingers. Dean’s toes clutched desperately at the bedsheets.

Cas pressed a deep kiss to Dean’s lips as his fingers brushed Dean’s prostate and Dean opened his mouth to moan loudly. His eyes widened and a shiver went down the base of his spine and straight to his balls.

“Shit,” he said in a breathless whisper.

Cas grinned and his nose wrinkled in amusement. “Good?” He asked.

Dean nodded as Cas sat back for a moment to put the condom on. Dean watched as Cas stroked himself several times, his lips parted and head tilted back slightly. He wiggled slightly as he urged Cas to hurry.

Cas applied more lube to his dick before he leaned forward and kissed Dean on the forehead and then on the lips. “I’ll go slow, tell me when you’re ready,” he said gently.  
“I’m ready,” Dean said, all too quickly, he noticed as Cas tried to stifle a laugh.

“I like it this way, so I can look at you,” Cas said as he pressed the tip of his cock against Dean’s ass. He ran his hand down Dean’s stomach, and gripped at Dean’s hips eventually.

Slowly, almost agonizingly slowly, Cas pressed into Dean, filling every inch of him. Dean took a few deep breaths as he got accustomed to the new sensation and looked at Cas, who was gazing at him with such adoration that Dean felt even more raw and exposed.

Dean nodded at Cas as his cheeks reddened. He liked the sensation, in fact he wanted more and he felt embarrassed asking but Cas seemed to understand. Cas moved slowly, pulling back out a little and then moving back in gently. Dean’s fingers clutched at the bedspread with each movement.

He felt as though his nerve endings were on fire. and he closed his eyes allowing the waves of pleasure to overwhelm him. He wiggled more and opened his eyes again to stare at Cas, who was biting down hard on his lip. “More,” Dean said as he grabbed at Cas’ sides, pulling him in deeper and harder.

Cas obliged and tilted slightly so that with each thrust, his cock hit Dean’s prostate, sending Dean into a whirlwind of pleasure. Dean’s lips parted open as his chest heaved, his dick bobbing with each movement.

“Fuck, Cas,” he moaned again, all coherent thought gone out the window.

Cas pushed in further and Dean felt himself near the edge as well as Cas hit his prostate again. He opened his eyes to watch Cas with his flushed cheeks, eyes squeezed shut, and plump lips parted slightly. They moved together in tandem, sweat beading on Dean’s forehead and neck.

Dean’s breath became more ragged and he clutched tighter at Cas. He was at the breaking point and one more deep thrust would be enough to send him over. Cas pushed in once more, moaning as he did so which sent him spiraling over. Dean’s toes curled and he bit down hard on his lip as waves of pleasure pulsed through his body. Cas pulled out slowly after both of them caught their breaths again.

“Was that okay?” Cas asked as he removed the condom and placed it in the wastebasket beneath the nightstand. He placed a kiss on Dean’s forehead as Dean struggled to slow his breathing and opened his eyes slowly.

“That was amazing, Cas,” Dean said, still breathless.

Cas laid back down beside Dean and laced his fingers through Dean’s. “I would agree,” Cas said as his own breathing slowed down and he wiped small beads of sweat from his forehead.

Dean looked up at the ceiling and a large grin crossed his face as he noticed the plane mobile dangling above and a clap of thunder outside. “Man, I would have never imagined we’d be doing this here, in this room,” Dean said with wonder.

He turned to his side and looked at Cas with a small smile. “I’m glad we are though.”

 

*****

  
The sun crept through the blinds gently and Dean turned to look at the face of the man sleeping so peacefully next to him. It wasn’t that Dean wasn’t uncomfortable; he was hot as hell and one arm was asleep from Cas laying on it all night, but it seemed to not matter. Dean had been with plenty of women and had never felt as comfortable with another person as he did while laying next to Cas.

The idea scared him a little but he couldn’t help the small smile that had been plastered on his face all night and all morning. He wrapped his arms tighter around Cas and pulled him closer, burying his nose in Cas’ messy dark hair. Dean began to smile wider as Cas groaned and pulled away slightly, attempting to chase his last few minutes of sleep. Dean moved his arm slowly down Cas’ sides and pinched lightly at his waist, causing Cas to squirm and turn around in the bed with a grumpy look on his face.

Cas opened one eye slowly and glared at Dean for a moment before he shut it and huffed, plunging his face down onto the pillow. Dean barely waited before he did it again, ticking Cas harder until Cas finally opened his eyes and let out a laugh he’d been holding in.

“Ok, I’m awake,” Cas admitted with a small grin, his eyes squinting against the sunlight.

Dean pressed his lips against Cas’ gently and then pulled away, his cheeks slightly red. “I hope that’s okay?” He stammered slightly, unsure of what to expect from this new aspect of their relationship.

Cas turned his head to the side and peered back at Dean, his eyes bright. “I think that’s definitely okay, Dean.” Cas threaded his fingers between Dean’s and kissed the tip of his nose gently.

Dean looked at his watch on the nightstand and rolled his eyes. His heart sank and he realized just how much he wanted to stay, to continue doing this with Cas. It almost took him by surprise just how strong the inclination was. He looked over at Cas and it seemed to be that Cas understood exactly how he felt.

“You have to get going soon I presume?” Cas asked quietly.

Dean nodded his head and pressed his forehead against Cas’. He didn’t even care this his breath was probably terrible and they both needed a good shower. He wanted to savor every minute they had together.

“I’ll miss you,” Cas said finally, pulling away slightly as he looked sheepishly to the side.

“Same,” Dean said as he looked back at Cas. The longing in his heart was so strong it nearly overwhelmed him as he pulled Cas forward for a tight hug. It wasn’t like he’d never see Cas again, but they’d crossed some invisible line and Dean suddenly felt as if he could never look back.

Dean stood up from the bed and pulled Cas up with him with a small smile. “Not goodbye, just an ‘I’ll see ya later’ okay?”  
Cas nodded his head in agreement before he pressed his lips passionately against Dean’s.

 

*****

 

Charlie and Dorothy sat huddled close together on Charlie’s bed while Dean tossed a tennis ball against the wall absently. They’d been on exactly one delivery trip in the last two weeks. Dean could tell that Cas didn’t want to burden him, but the town was on the verge of being out of water; Dean just couldn’t understand why they wouldn’t be making more frequent trips. It wasn’t out of a selfish need to see Cas either (well, maybe a little), but it was about all the people on Terra.

It was taking Charlie a lot longer to break into the files and at every turn she seemed to be blocked. Dean turned around to look at Charlie as she and Dorothy shared a quick kiss.

“Hey, as hot as that is, we’d probably have some answers if you two weren’t busy sucking face,” Dean said in annoyance.

Dorothy threw a pillow at Dean’s head, “You’re just grumpy because your boyfriend isn’t here to suck face with you.”

Dean stared at her in surprise and then glared at Charlie.

“Was I not supposed to know that?” Dorothy asked softly.

Dean opened his mouth to protest and say that Cas was his best friend but he realized that description didn’t quite fit anymore. Cas had become much more, not just someone he fooled around with either. Dean closed his mouth and turned back around as he threw his ball back at the wall with more force.

There was a soft knock at the door and Dean stood up to greet his brother, having finally given in to Sam’s requests to be included. Sam stepped inside followed by Reina and Dean gave him a long hard stare.

“Dude, you try telling her she can’t come,” Sam said with a sheepish smile as Reina joined Charlie on her bed.

“Jeez,” Dean said under his breath as he rolled his eyes. His brother was whipped and he wasn’t even dating this girl yet.

He sat back down on the ground with Sam, joined eventually by Dorothy as they watched an odd comedy play on Charlie’s television. It was a Celsphere approved show which essentially meant it was for kids and lacked any real themes. Charlie and Reina worked on their laptops diligently, speaking in a computer language that Dean couldn’t understand.

After several hours of essentially sitting around, Dean checked his watch as he looked over at Charlie, her eyes red and puffy from staring at her computer for hours. “Should we head out?” Dean asked tentatively.

Charlie held up her finger as she finished pressing a few keys and slammed her finger down one last time. “It worked!”

Reina shoved her laptop aside and leaned across Charlie with a wide smile on her face. She raised her hand up and gave Charlie a high five.

“Give me a few minutes to pull up a couple things for us to read. Reina, you and Sam can take half the files while the rest of us take the other half.”

Reina nodded and hopped off the bed with her laptop in her hands. She sat down next to Sam, flashing him a large smile. “Thanks for including me,” she said as she balanced her laptop half on his leg and half on hers.

Dean and Dorothy moved back onto the bed and watched as Charlie opened several scanned documents, some of them too grainy to read. “There’s a bunch of news article,” Charlie said as she clicked around, “And then there’s the official documents.”

One heading caught Dean’s eye and he stopped Charlie. “Click that one, about the Canadian Celsphere,” he said as he recognized the uniforms on one of the photos.

Charlie zoomed in and they all read quietly until Charlie gasped. “Ezekiel is from here,” she said as the others caught up to her, “but that’s not his name.”

Dorothy leaned forward to look closer at a photo and nodded, “That’s definitely him. A lot younger but that’s him.”

“His name is Gadreel?” Dean asked with a puzzled expression. “That’s a weird ass name.”

Charlie rolled her eyes, “More importantly, I’m going to scan the rest of the documents for this name,” she said as she clicked.

Several more documents flagged with that name, and they all learned closer to read.

Sam coughed suddenly in the corner, a choked noise that made everyone stop to look at him. “You guys aren’t gonna be believe this,” Sam said, looking up from Reina’s computer as he tried to clear his throat. His eyes were wide and his voice shook slightly, “Tron Industries plans to eventually cut off all Terra aid...and soon.”

Dean looked over at his brother, dread pooling in his stomach. “Are you fucking joking?” He glanced at Dorothy and then to Charlie. “How can they even get away with that?”

Sam looked back down at his computer, his eyes ticking back and forth as he scanned the document in front of him. “They say sustaining life on Celsphere and Terra is no longer economically feasible.”

“That’s bullshit,” Dorothy said as she clenched her fists.

“How can they do that without telling anyone?” Sam asked.

Charlie kept her eyes on her screen, clicking around as she typed in new search words. “It’s under a law passed last year. It’s why communication between Celsphere and Terra is forbidden.” She bit the bottom of her lip as she looked up, “No one’s supposed to know.”

Dean looked down and thought of what Cas had told him. He thought about Ezekiel or whatever his name was. “Hey, Charlie, can we look up the other countries?”

Charlie nodded as she pounded on her keys in anger, pulling up infinite files. She clicked on the first one and her eyes went wide.

“This is a military report from several years ago, and you guys won’t believe it.”

Dean leaned over and narrowed his eyes before he started to read aloud. “Gadreel Arnold and Abner Sarver are only survivors of Celsphere Canada after allowing terrorists to hijack the colony and destroy it. Both have been taken aboard Celsphere U.S. for interrogation and further use.”

“They destroyed an entire Celsphere,” Charlie said in slow disbelief.

Dean’s mind drifted back towards the photo he’d found in Ezekiel’s room and how he’d said he had someone to protect as well. Dean slammed a fist against the wall. “I don’t know how but we’ll stop this.”

Sam looked at Dean and nodded his agreement. “We can’t let them destroy the world we grew up on.”

 

*****

 

Despite the difficult situation they found themselves in, or perhaps because of it, Dean found himself unable to avoid a certain conversation with Sam. Part of it was that without any orders, Dean spent more time in his room and most of that time was spent annoying his brother to some degree.

After an hour of silence, Sam looked up at Dean and slammed his book closed. “Can you stop throwing that tennis ball at the wall?”

Dean looked at Sam and pursed his lips, “I’m bored and my head is full of things that I shouldn’t know about but I can’t do anything about.”

Sam rolled his eyes, “Here’s the advice you always give me: go jack off,” he said in a huff. “Take that little pic of Cas you have and go take a shower. I’ll pretend I didn’t see.”

Dean’s eyes widened as he looked over at the picture he’d recently taped to his wall. “Fuck you,” he mumbled.

“What’s that?” Sam asked in amusement.

“Fine, you know what, I will,” Dean said as he stood up from his bed. He grabbed the photo of Cas and glared at Sam.

Sam sighed and stood up, “Okay, dude. Chill. I’m just bugging you because you’ve been intentionally getting on my every last nerve.”

He pushed on Dean’s shoulders until Dean sat back down on his bed.

“Why didn’t you tell me? About you and Cas?” he asked quietly.

“It’s weird,” Dean said with a shrug. “It’s also illegal and probably better if no one knows. Ever.”

Sam looked at him, his lips turned downward. “I hope you don’t think I’d ever think differently of you.”

“No, Sammy. I know and I should have said something but I don’t even know how to describe it.”

“Cas makes you happy,” Sam stated simply.

Dean looked at him strangely, “What do you mean?”

“It’s obvious. You come back from Terra and you try to not say anything but I don’t think you realize how much you talk about him.” Sam shrugged, “I think that’s what it’s like when you care about someone a lot.”

Dean nodded slowly and closed his eyes as he felt the tips of his ears get hot. The conversation was awkward and as happy as he was to have Sam know, he also wanted it to end.

“So, you happy now?” Dean asked.

“One more thing,” Sam said. “You like girls and guys?”

Dean opened his eyes and narrowed them at his brother. “I guess… I hadn’t thought about it? But yeah, I mean I definitely like girls.”

“But you love Cas?”

Dean rolled his eyes, “I see where you’re going with this. You’re pushing your luck now.”

Sam sat back on his bed and laughed, “It was worth a shot.”

Dean stood back up and snatched the photo from the corner of his bed, “And now I’m going to follow through on your suggestion,” he said as he smirked at Sam.

“You’re gross, Dean. Now I have that image in my mind forever.”

Dean laughed maliciously as he stepped into the bathroom and waved two fingers back at Sam. He was surprised to feel relieved after telling Sam about Cas but he did. He had a lot of other things to worry about, like how to keep the world from imploding around him.

As Dean showered, he didn’t quite take Sam up on his suggestion. Instead, he thought about what to say to Cas and how to give him the information they’d discovered. As much as he wanted a repeat of their last encounter, and as much as he daydreamed about it, there were other matters that were more important. Dean washed his hair slowly as he thought about how he could tell Cas everything and how badly he wished he didn’t have to wait to do so.

He finally decided on a plan of action. A note was risky in case he was subjected to a random search before take-off, but it seemed to be the only feasible solution. Dean stepped out of the shower and ran his hands down his face, wishing he could have instead spent the time thinking about Cas and only Cas.

 

*****

 

Dean landed and the only thing on his mind was finding Cas and warning him. He felt for the long note tucked into his jacket pocket, detailing everything they had learned. Three more agonizing days had passed while they tried to think of a plan. Dean had joked that destroying the government shouldn’t be so hard, which had earned him a glare from Sam.

They had been surprised when an order came through and they’d all been walking on eggshells, just in case they were found out somehow. Dean remembered Ezekiel’s threat to him and he felt even more urgency in getting to Cas. If anything happened to him, Cas had to know what was going on.

“Charlie, I’m going to find Cas if you can do all the paperwork for me?”

Charlie nodded as she followed Dean out of the cockpit. “I’ve got a bad feeling, Dean. Our delivery is essentially nothing. Something feels off.”

Dean hated to agree but something in his gut told him he didn’t have much time. He looked once more at Charlie before he started to jog towards the road, careful to avoid the office in case there was any trouble. He hadn’t seen Cas on the tarmac and he could only hope that Cas was at home.

As he jogged up the old dirt road, he saw another figure running towards him in the distance. His hand went instinctively to his taser gun but he removed it as the figure came closer.

“Hey Jody, I’d love to chat but I’m in a hurry,” Dean said as they met.

She grabbed his arm and pulled him off the road. “There’s an order out for your arrest,” she said breathlessly.

Dean’s eyes widened as he wondered for a moment if Jody would turn him in.

“I’m not taking you in, Dean,” she said, her eyes sad. “I’ll try to buy ya some time but that’s the best I can do.”

“What about Charlie?”

The walkie on Jody’s shirt went off, the static cutting through the thick air. Jody turned it down and looked at Dean, shaking her head.

“A military escort arrived right after you landed. They took Charlie and your plane is being confiscated now.”

“What are the charges? How the hell can they do this?”

Jody shrugged, “Breach of security was listed for Charlie but I haven’t seen yours yet. I’m on my way in and I’ll try to help as much as I can. Dean, you need to hide.”

Dean looked towards Cas’ house.

“Don’t you dare go to his house, or Bobby’s,” she warned sternly. “Those are the first places I’ll tell them to look.”

“Shit,” Dean said as he ran his hands through his hair quickly.

“Can you get a message to Cas for me?” He asked, panic rising in his voice. “Not a paper one,” he clarified as Jody held her arms up in protest.

“If you see him, just tell him to meet at the usual place.”

Jody nodded as her walkie crackled again quietly. “Just stay unseen, okay? They might just hope to keep you stranded here so they don’t need to deal with you. Best case scenario, Dean.”

Dean nodded despite knowing that wasn’t true.


	21. Ground Control to Major Tom

Dean sat in the barn, his legs crossed on top of a large crate in the corner. He’d been nervous for the first few hours but that had eventually given way to boredom as the sun faded from the sky. The humid air had dissipated and been replaced with a cool breeze that filtered through the barn walls.

He sighed and stood up to stretch his legs and check outside. The lights in the town were still lit up, way past the time they normally were. It stirred fear back into him and he closed the barn door again quietly.

Another long hour passed by and he checked his watch at midnight, exhaustion settling in. He looked at the plane thought about climbing into the cockpit to try to get some sleep. The barn door opened quietly and Dean turned around, raising his stun gun as he hid beneath the hull of the plane, crouching down silently.

“Dean?” A voice called out hesitantly as a beam of light illuminated a small portion of the old barn.

A smile of relief spread across Dean’s face and he stepped out, tucking his gun back into the holster.

Cas ran forward and pulled Dean into a tight hug, dropping his lantern to the ground. “Thank God you’re okay,” Cas whispered into his ear.

Dean buried his head into Cas’ shoulder and inhaled, feeling like it was the first breath of air he’d taken all day. He let Cas hold him for a while, greedily wanting to be taken care of for the first time rather than being the one to take care of others. Cas pulled back slightly and placed a soft kiss on Dean’s lips.

“Can you tell me what’s going on?” Cas asked gently. “Jody came to my house about an hour ago to give me your message but she refused to tell me more or talk further.”

Dean dragged his feet as he walked back to the crate he had been sitting on since that morning. His military jacket was strewn across the back of it haphazardly. Dean figured it was best not to be seen in it for now.

Cas followed him and sat down on the top of the crate and watched Dean as he dug through his pocket, pulling out a thick folded note. He handed it to Cas and shrugged. “I’d hoped to get this to you earlier but read this and then I’ll explain more.”

Cas nodded as he unfolded the stack of three papers. He smiled as he did so. “I don’t recall you writing this much for school assignments,” he joked as he set his lantern down nearby.

“Very funny,” Dean replied as he pushed Cas’ knee to the side. He remained standing, his eyes transfixed on Cas as he read.

It didn’t take Cas long to read through the note and his expression remained passive as he did so. He re-read the second page before he slowly nodded and folded the note back up, tucking it into the pocket of his pants.

“I wish I could say I was surprised,” Cas said slowly. “I’d heard of this happening elsewhere and our rations, not just water, have been slowly decreased over time.”

Dean stepped forward, standing between Cas’ knees and wrapped a hand around Cas’ neck, pulling him in for a deep kiss.

“That’s why I need your help,” Dean said.

Cas moaned slightly as they broke apart and he closed his eyes. “Don’t distract me,” he said with a chuckle.

“Sorry,” Dean said with a smirk.

“So now the part where you explain to me why you’re hiding out here.”

Dean ran his hand down his face. “I’m wanted apparently, Charlie’s been arrested, God knows what’s happened to Sam and the others,” he said as he ticked the problems off on his fingers, “Oh, and they took my plane so I have no way to get back to Celsphere.”

Cas tilted his head to the side as he gave Dean an odd look, “Dean, you have a plane right behind you.”

 

*****

 

The barn doors were propped open and the cool air blew their hair back and cooled them as they pulled the plane out. Dean’s stomach flopped and turned as he thought about what they were about to do.

“This is crazy, Cas,” he said as he watched his friend climb into the cockpit. Dean felt more than a little guilty for dragging Cas into it.

“I believe this is a necessary action,” Cas called down, his voice somewhat lost on the wind.

Dean looked up and squinted at the sky. It was cloudy and he’d never flown under the cover of complete darkness before. He climbed into his seat and took a deep breath as he put on his goggles and headset. He took his time checking all his controls.

“Ground control to Major Tom,” Dean said despite Cas’ protests last time about not understanding the reference.

“Commencing countdown, engines on,” Cas replied tentatively.

Dean turned around in his seat, a wide smile on his face. “I may have listened to the song many times since your reference,” Cas replied with a sheepish shrug.

Dean laughed as he flipped his controls on, and pressed forward, taking off smoothly.

 

*****

 

They flew low, staying clear of the normal flight path Dean used. He realized just how tough it was navigate, and he smiled, proud of Cas for doing it despite the outdated machinery.

“Okay, we can increase in altitude,” Cas said nervously. “If you go 30 degrees to the right, you can make a straight incline towards Celsphere and come in beneath them undetected temporarily.”

“Roger,” Dean said as he turned his stick and pressed lightly on the right rudder.

They climbed steadily and Dean flipped on the shield as they hit the clouds. “Thank God we have the shield, right, Cas?” Dean asked.

When Cas didn’t respond, Dean looked over his shoulder at his friend.

“Hey, Cas, you okay?”

Dean turned back to look at his controls as fear took over. Shit. He called Cas’ name again.

“I’m...okay.” Cas replied after a moment, his breathing labored and stiff. “I got lightheaded,” he said slowly.

Dean’s heart raced in his chest and he turned around quickly to look at Cas. His eyes were bloodshot and Cas was clutching at his chest as it heaved. “Dude, why didn’t you tell me,” Dean said quietly as he shook his head.

“I didn’t want your opinion of me to change,” Cas said, his breathing still labored. He inhaled and exhaled loudly and Dean longed to help him.

“I can land or something, Cas. This isn’t worth killing you over.”

“Dean. Keep flying.”

Dean turned around again and looked at Cas and nodded. “You, don’t talk,” he demanded. “You could have told me years ago, fuck, I imagined all these scenarios and all of them included you not wanting to see me again.” Dean shook his head.

“My lungs can’t handle the altitude,” Cas gasped. “I would have followed you anywhere, Dean.”

“Dammit, Cas,” Dean said, feeling a tear form in his eye. He wiped it away quickly and he adjusted their flight path, still climbing in altitude but slower. He wasn’t sure if that would help Cas but he hoped so. “Just hold on, man. We’re almost there.”

 

*****

 

They landed quietly and Dean cut the propellers immediately. The hangar was empty and Dean was grateful that the plane itself was black, hidden against the backdrop of the night sky.

Dean turned around and reached across his seat to check on Cas, who was breathing heavily. “Let’s get you inside, okay?”

Dean jumped down and helped Cas as he scrambled down, his eyes bloodshot and wide with each struggling breath he took. Dean let Cas lean against the plane as he threw a cover across the top, hiding it amongst the other planes on the deck.

“We’ll get to my room and go from there. I got you, Cas.” Dean said as he wrapped an arm around Cas’ waist and pulled him forward.

They moved slowly, Dean checking around each corner as they walked. He’d brought one of Charlie’s old security passes with him so that his own wouldn’t flag a warning.

“This is Celsphere,” Dean whispered as he helped Cas along.

Cas nodded, looking around curiously.

They arrived at Dean’s room and Dean knocked slowly, hoping that Sam was alright. If Sam wasn’t home, he wouldn’t have a way into the room and they’d need to come up with a new plan.

Dean breathed a sigh of relief as the door opened and Sam stood there in wide-eyed surprise.

Cas raised his eyes and gave Sam a small smile as Dean helped him through the door, which Sam quickly locked behind them. Sam’s eyes were wide with surprise and he kept opening his mouth to say something only to close it again. Dean set Cas on his bed and ran a hand through his hair. “Are you feeling better?”

“Much. The oxygen is equalized within Celsphere,” Cas said slowly, clearing his throat.

“It’s not much, but here’s our place,” Dean said with a smile.

“Cas,” Sam said as he stepped forward and pulled Cas into a hug. “How are you guys even here? Dean, there’s a warrant out for you.” Sam looked over at his brother, his relief apparent as his shoulders relaxed and he ran his hands through his hair.

“We flew here in the plane Cas built,” Dean said proudly.

“You guys are lucky, the military and the guards were just here. They tore this place apart.”

Dean looked around at his desk and the mess of open drawers. “Have you heard anything about Charlie?”

“Her and Dorothy are both locked up.”

“Dorothy too?” Dean asked in disbelief.

Sam averted his eyes slightly, “It’s kind of a bogus charge, and I think they just wanted to lock them up for something but yeah... for their, you know… relationship.”

Dean felt Cas take his hand and squeeze gently. “We’ll help them,” Cas said, his voice back to normal and his breathing lighter.

Another knock sounded at the door and Dean stood at alert. “It’s Reina,” Sam said with a smile as he opened the door.

“When shit went down we thought we might try to help and the best idea we could come up with was this,” Sam said as he grabbed the stack of papers from Reina’s hands.

Dean looked at it and raised an eyebrow, “Flyers?”

“We need numbers,” Sam said as he rolled his eyes. “Two of us are in prison, two are students, you’re an outlaw and Cas isn’t even supposed to be here,” Sam explained.  
“We need people on our side and this might be the way to do it.”

Dean looked over at Cas who was nodding and smiling. “That’s an excellent plan, Sam.”

Reina dropped the papers onto Sam’s bed and turned around, dusting her hands off. “Don’t worry, I’ve got a timed information release to go out on all television and to every email on Celsphere.”

Dean looked at her and smiled as he raised his hand to give her a high five. “Now that’s something I can get behind.”

“Look, Dean, we’ve got Celsphere covered if you can get the info to Terra,” Sam said as he beamed at Reina.

“You got it, Sammy.”


	22. Notes in the Sky

Dean dug through his dresser for clothing for Cas to borrow while they waited on Sam and Reina. They’d gone to check on Charlie and Dorothy and then they would put their plan in action. Dean still thought it had too high a chance for failure but he couldn’t offer any better suggestions. They didn’t have much time and he agreed with Sam that the information needed to be seen.

“Here,” Dean said as he tossed a black shirt to Cas. “Your dark jeans should be fine,” he mused. He pried his eyes away as Cas changed and focused on finding dark clothing for himself. Landing had been one thing but to take off, and with the sun coming up in an hour or two, would be risky. Dean knew the hangar would be buzzing with activity by then and they’d need a big distraction to even get to their plane, let alone take off without being stopped.

The door opened and Charlie stepped in, holding hands with Dorothy. “Guess who’s free!”

Dean stood up and pulled her into a hug. “Never do that again,” he said as he held her tight.

“It’s nice to see you again,” Cas said as he looked at Charlie and smiled. Charlie’s mouth dropped open as she looked at Cas and shook her head. “I should learn to expect the impossible with you two,” she muttered quietly, still shaking her head in disbelief.

“How’d you get out?” Dean asked her in return.

“I pulled some strings,” Charlie replied as she flipped her hair over her shoulder, “Or maybe I had some information on a few of the guards.”

“Your captain also vouched for her,” Dorothy added with a smile. “I believe that went a long way.”

“Naomi?” Dean asked in shock.

Charlie shrugged, “I told her what was going on and she said she didn’t want to see Terra destroyed any more than we did.”

“Anyway, I’m technically on house arrest right now so I shouldn’t stay long.”

“Are you going back to your room?” Dean asked skeptically.

“Hell no. I’m asking where you need us and what you want us to do,” Charlie replied with a smile, her hand gripping Dorothy’s tightly.

Dean nodded and filled them in, happy to have more help.

 

*****

 

They stood outside the hangar and Dean took a deep breath as Charlie swiped her key card. It would alert the military and soon the hangar would be flooded. The plan was to leave before that happened. Dean and Cas in their plane, Charlie and Dorothy in another. They’d hopefully all four make it to Terra unscathed.

Dean checked the com attached to his shirt and looked at Charlie with a nod. “Let’s do this.”

They took the short and direct route, Dean and Cas finding their plane covered in a corner how they’d left it. He pulled the tarp off and jumped inside, Cas following suit.

Dean looked across the hangar and saw Charlie and Dorothy also start their engines just as a line of military personnel ran in from the main entrance, weapons drawn.

“Shit,” Dean whispered, the reality all too serious as he noted they were not using stun guns, but real bullets.

“I think we forgot to add weaponry to this,” Dean said as he steered the plane forward quickly.

“I did not foresee us needing it,” Cas replied.

Dean checked behind them as he heard several shots fired and he saw the guards following them along the runway. They took off a moment later, not having much time to spare, and Dean felt a wave a sigh of relief as Charlie’s plane followed his safely from the hangar. In the back, Cas gripped a large stack of papers in his lap as he took small breaths.

“We’ll get to lower altitude soon, Cas,” Dean said as he worried for his friend.

Dean checked his com attached to his shirt, “Charlie? Are you guys okay?”

“We’re swell, Lionheart and Tinman,” Charlie teased as her plane pulled up beside his.

“Shut up,” Dean replied.

“What, it’s cute,” Charlie said with a laugh.

Dean looked over at the other plane, Dorothy piloting and Charlie in the navigation seat. He gave them a thumbs up before he turned to check on Cas.

“I’m fine, Dean,” Cas replied.

“Charlie, you think they’re sending anyone after us or waiting until we land?”

“If they waited until we landed, we’d be fine but bad news…”

Dean didn’t hear the rest as a bullet flew past his windshield and he slammed his foot on the rudder and pulled hard to the left to avoid it.

“Fuck,” he heard Cas say in unison with him.

“Hold on, Cas,” Dean said as he looped around to try to avoid the next onslaught of bullets.

“You guys don’t have ammunition, so we’ll try to cover you,” Charlie said over her radio, the static cutting through and making it hard to decipher. “Just get to Terra.”

“Roger,” Dean replied, his hands gripping his tightly at the controls.

Another onslaught of bullets passed them and Dean directed the plane downwards and around in a roll in an evasive maneuver he’d only seen in school and never done. The force of gravity pulled them and Dean tried to keep his eye on the horizon, differentiating the land from the sky.

“I think we’re almost clear, Cas and—” Dean stopped as a loud popping sound whizzed past his ear.

He looked down at his shoulder as a dark stain spread across the fabric, and the pain followed not a moment later. He tipped his head back as he took a deep breath, pressing one hand to the wound as he bit his lip to keep from screaming out against the pain that ripped through his arm and down every inch of his body. The blood quickly soaked his hand hand and he struggled to keep control of the plane.

The ringing in his ear threw off his balance and they spiraled downward. Dean fought to stay conscious as he distantly heard Cas screaming his name as the plane fell. He raised a finger, already coated in blood and flipped the controls back to Cas.

“I’m sorry, Cas. You gotta land us.”

 

*****

 

Cas yelled, his lungs aching and his fingers raw from clutching at the seat in front of him. He felt helpless as the bullet hit Dean and the plane fell. No matter how many times he yelled Dean’s name, Dean seemed unresponsive.

His chest throbbed from the seat belt that held him in against the force of gravity and he reached for Dean in front of him. “Dean, flip the controls! Dean!”

They seemed to fall for an eternity and the wind rushed through their hair, taking Cas’ breath and words away.

Cas watched as Dean reached for the controls and flipped them back to Cas. It was as if they were moving in slow motion and then suddenly time sped up again, twice as fast. Cas gripped the stick and pulled up, driving it back quickly against his chest to slow their descent.

In front of him, Dean’s head bobbed against the seat and Cas had a sinking feeling in his gut. He wasn’t sure where Dean had been hit and he struggled to keep from panicking. Faster than expected, the ground came up to meet them and Cas frantically pulled the nose of the plane back up as he tried to fly over the town and not into a house.

Adrenaline pulsed through his veins and he grabbed a small group of flyers in his hand, dropping them out of the plane. He turned the plane cautiously as he spotted the runway and a military plane below; probably the ones that had shot at them. He glared below and dropped another large stack of papers.

Unsure how to land, Cas turned back towards the field by Bobby’s, dropping more flyers to the ground below. He took a deep breath and allowed the plane to drift slowly downwards as he tried to slow their acceleration.

The plane jostled up and down as it landed and Cas pulled on the brakes quickly, causing them nearly to tip over on one side. Cas reached forward and cut the engine and propellers from Dean’s controls and jumped out of the plane to pull Dean forward. Cas’ heart raced in his chest as he looked at his friend, searching for the source of all the blood...

 

*****

 

Sam and Reina held their breaths as they stood in an aisle of the library, their heads low as they watched the computer screens flicker on all around them. Sam heard Reina inhale quickly as her portable device beeped a few times. She pulled it out and a slow grin spread across her face.

“The email notifications worked,” she said. “I just received one.”

Sam nodded and squared his shoulders back. “We’ve got one more thing to do.”

They moved quickly through the library, carefully watching the expressions of the people the passed. Reina’s message was concise and clear; a video montage with her voice telling the people of Celsphere what had happened. It looped again, and Sam smiled to himself as he heard her begin again, “People of Celsphere...”

The hallways buzzed with activity, and Sam felt Reina take his hand and squeeze gently. They didn’t have much time. Sam suspected that voice recognition software was already being put to use to find the person who had done the unthinkable; hacked the Celsphere computer system and sent a message out to every inhabitant on every electronic communication device.

Sam could easily list five laws that they had broken that would lock them up for good. He grit his teeth as he thought of his brother, Cas, Charlie, and Dorothy. They weren’t just risking incarceration, but death. Sam squeezed Reina’s hand tightly in his as he firmed his resolve.

He didn’t have a plan yet, something typical of Dean but not of Sam. He hated not having a plan, the uncertainty and random variables. He looked back at his friend who trailed behind him, trying to fit past a throng of people who were arguing loudly.

Sam saw a nearby hallway that was clear and ran towards it, hoping to catch his breath and clear his head for a moment. He leaned against the wall and ran a hand through his hair as Reina checked her handheld.

“Hey, you two,” a voice said from behind them. Sam turned around quickly and grabbed Reina’s hand, pulling her closer to him.

“What?” Sam asked, standing as tall as possible. For a teenager, he was pretty damn tall too.

“You kids should head to your room, trouble’s brewing and we’re being told there are riots breaking out in different sectors.”

Sam looked at Reina and tried to hide his relief. “Thank you, sir,” he said.

They walked past the officer and Reina thanked him, patting him on the chest.

“That was close,” Sam said as they took off down an opposite hallway.

“Perfect timing,” Reina replied with a laugh as she held up the officer’s badge between two fingers. “This should get us to Ezekiel faster, don’t you think?”

Sam looked at her in surprise, and wished he could kiss her. “You’re amazing,” he said as he cheeks flushed slightly.

“You can compliment me later,” she said with a laugh as she pulled him towards an elevator.

Sam held his finger to the button for the top floor as Reina scanned the stolen badge across the security pad. It blinked green and they gave each other grins as the elevator began its ascent.

Sam still wasn’t sure how or what he planned to do, but finding Ezekiel was the first step in it.

The doors to the elevator slid open quietly and they were greeted immediately with rifles pointed. Sam put his hands in the air immediately and nudged Reina to do the same.

“We need to speak with Ezekiel,” Reina demanded as one of the officers stepped forward and handcuffed her hands behind her back, and then the same with Sam.

“Then you’re in luck, because he asked to see you two as well.”

Sam looked at Reina hesitantly as he tried to run through scenarios in his mind and recall everything Dean had told him about the guy.

They were led into a large office, shoved inside, and told to wait, hands still cuffed behind their backs. Sam turned in a slow circle as he took in the view, followed by his amazement at the many shelves filled with various books. It would be breathtaking were it not for the manner in which the man had come by such tremendous wealth. He locked eyes with Reina as they heard voices approaching.

A moment later, the door behind them opened again and they turned as Ezekiel greeted them. His eyes looked tired and his mouth was drawn in a tight line. He wore well-tailored slacks that were wrinkled. His tie was missing and his crisp linen shirt was undone at the top.

“I don’t have much time, turn around,” he said quietly. “I promise I mean you no harm.”

Sam narrowed his eyes but did as he was told. He heard the jangle of keys as his handcuffs were unlocked. Sam’s hands fell gently to his side and he turned to look at Ezekiel.

“We need some explanations.”

“We don’t have the necessary time. I can guarantee your safety if we work quickly.”

Sam stepped back and raised his hands. “I don’t care about just my safety. What about my friends. My brother? What about all the people on Terra?”

“The people of Celsphere are rioting. It’s happened before and it’s happening again. I intend to stop it before the whole colony is brought down.”

“What’s the cost?” Reina asked as she rubbed at her wrists. She cut straight to the chase, several steps ahead of Sam already. She put her hands on her hips and glared at Ezekiel.

“I need you to go to Terra,” he paused, “and take a prisoner with you.”

“Why would we do that?”

“You are friends with the redhead correct, Charlie Bradbury? She and her friend were apprehended and are in custody. I will ensure their release.”

Reina rolled her eyes, “That sounds great but in case you didn’t notice, we’re students and neither of us are pilots.”

“The prisoner can pilot. He simply needs a navigator,” he eyed them carefully. “Sam Winchester, you scored exemplary in preliminary navigation sciences.”

“Why the hell would I help you?” Sam spit out bitterly, “Your planes shot at my brother. For all I know, he’s dead right now.”

“That order did not come from me.”

“Then who?”

“Metatron,” Ezekiel said with disdain and annoyance dripping from every syllable.

“Megatron?” Sam asked, confused as he looked over at Reina.

“He’s the one in charge of Tron Industries. I intend to bring him to justice at all costs; even my own.”

Reina stepped forward, and set her eyes on Ezekiel. “So who is this prisoner? If you’re going after Metatron and fixing the rioting here, I assume that means you plan to turn yourself in. Where does a prisoner fit in?”

Ezekiel checked his watch and looked at them both warily. Sam almost believed him, the imploring look at his face as he begged to be trusted. Sam just didn’t have the luxury though, not when they’d worked so hard to get here.

“Tell us, and quickly, since you say we’re short on time. I’ll fly if you can give me a good reason,” Sam offered.

“The prisoner is an old friend, Abner, and he’s been held for many years as blackmail against me. I’d like to guarantee his freedom by sending him to Terra.” Ezekiel looked Sam in the eye, “I intend to make up for my wrongs. I would not send my friend to Terra if I had plans to let it starve.”

“So do we gotta break him out or something?” Reina asked, having already made up her mind. Sam nodded slowly as he thought about what Ezekiel said. There were flaws, reasons why it could be a lie, but he doubted the man was lying from the look on his face.

“He is waiting in a private plane that will depart from a hangar on this floor,” Ezekiel explained as he grabbed the jacket that hung on the back of his chair. “Once you take off, I plan to address all of Celsphere with the truth.”

Sam glared at him but nodded. “I don’t want to but I’m trusting you.”

Ezekiel handed Sam his badge, “Hurry.”

“Keep an eye on him, okay? I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Sam said with a smile at Reina before he pulled the large doors open and sprinted down the hallway.

 

*****

 

Cas pressed his hands to Dean’s shoulder as he watched the blood coat them quickly. Next to him, the plane spewed a dark line of smoke into the sky, a signal for anyone who was following.

Castiel looked into the sky with dread. “We have to get out of here, Dean,” he pleaded quietly. He removed his shirt and tied it tightly around Dean’s wound.

“I’m sorry. This is going to hurt,” he said as he hoisted Dean over his shoulder. Dean groaned and his eyes flickered open slightly.

“Shit, Cas, I got shot,” he said.

“Please pass out again, please pass out again,” Cas whispered to himself as he struggled to walk with Dean over his shoulder. Blood already dripping through the makeshift bandage and down Cas’ undershirt. He knew the pain would be excruciating for Dean but he didn’t want to risk being caught out in the open. Dean was dead-weight and despite his athletic build, Cas found his legs tired quickly and began to shake.

He walked a few hundred yards more before he had to put Dean down for a moment. Cas’ chest heaved and his muscles strained as he held Dean around the waist. The tall yellow grass concealed them in the overgrown field as Cas set Dean down gently and sat beside him. Dean’s face was pale and his fingers cold when Cas grasped at them in fear. Cas was surprised to find that his own cheeks were stained with tears that he hadn’t known had been falling. He looked down at Dean and his vision clouded up as he realized he had been crying all along.

“I’m so sorry, Dean. I don’t know where to go,” Cas admitted, his voice shaking. “I can’t stop the bleeding.There’s so much blood, Dean.” Cas’ hands shook slightly as he pressed them tightly again to Dean’s wound, only to be covered completely in blood. Dean’s eyes fluttered open slowly and he winced slightly. Cas could barely watch as Dean tried to conceal the pain he was in.

“I’m proud of you,” Dean whispered with a small smile. “You landed the plane.”

Cas shook his head as small tears began to well up again in his eyes. “Dean, we have to move soon. You need help and I don’t know what to do.” Cas looked across the large field at the nearest house. He realized with surprise that it was his own, with the painted white panels and bright green shutters. He also noted the many yards between them, an endless expanse that stood between life and death.

Dean’s eyes flickered open again and he smiled, putting on hand on Cas’ cheek. “I’m okay, Cas. I’m fine because you’re here.” The words tumbled out between shallow breaths and drove tiny pin needles into every inch of Cas’ heart. Dean was trying to say goodbye.

For the first time in his life, Cas didn’t have a plan. Letting Dean die in his arms wasn’t an option, it was never part of the plan. He didn’t know what he would do without Dean and the prospect terrified him. His heart beat rapidly in his chest and he felt nauseous just thinking about losing Dean. He looked back around, trying to will his brain to function again. “I’ll save you, Dean,” he muttered over and over to himself.

“Cas, stop,” Dean said as he lifted his hand to Castiel’s face. “You know how I feel about you, right? Don’t make me say it,” he whispered with a small smile as he pressed a bloody hand to Cas’ cheek.

Cas shook Dean again, willing his eyes to open. It was selfish, he knew Dean was in pain but he wasn’t going to lose him. “Dean, don’t you dare close your eyes,” Cas said as he held Dean tightly to him, coating himself in blood. Dean opened his eyes again and coughed, a small trickle of blood fell from the corner of his lips. “You’re lionheart, remember, Dean? You’ve gotta be strong and keep your eyes open for me,” Cas pleaded with him as tears streaked down his cheeks and every word broke on a sob. Dean nodded slowly but his eyes were cloudy and his breath shallow. Cas held his chin up and tried to will Dean to hold on but it didn’t seem to do any good.

Cas looked around and hung his head as he realized he wasn’t going to have help magically appear. It was just the two of them, out here alone in the endless expanse. The ground was coated red, and Cas pulled Dean to him as Dean tried to speak.

“What is it? Dean?” Cas yelled as Dean’s eyes fluttered shut again, instilling new panic into Cas as he held Dean close in his arms. “I won’t let you die, I won’t let you die,” he repeated again, willing himself to believe it. “We make the impossible, possible. I’m not letting you leave me behind again,” Cas said.

His hands shook slightly as he pressed a firm kiss to Dean’s forehead. Cas didn’t wait for Dean to reply, ignoring the silence that caused tears to well up again in his eyes. He needed to be strong for the both of them. Instead, Cas hoisted him up once more. “I’m not saying goodbye yet, Dean. I will carry you home.”

 

*****

 

Dean opened his eyes slowly, expecting to be handcuffed to a cell or even worse, but a mobile of planes hung above his head and a gentle breeze brought in the smell of the ground after a storm.

Dean blinked a few times as he looked around him at his bedroom. “How did I get here?” he wondered as he tried to sit up. A piercing pain shot down his arm and he groaned loudly.

Several footsteps thundered up the stairs, the door thrown open by Cas. Bobby and Sam followed a moment later. Cas sat down in a chair besides Dean (he hadn’t noticed it before) and placed a hand on his forehead.

“I think his fever’s gone,” Cas said, not taking his eyes away from Dean.

“Hey, I had the weirdest dream. You were there, and you were,” Dean said as he looked at each of them.

Sam rolled his eyes and Bobby muttered, “Idjit.”

“Did we get the flyers out?” Dean asked, looking at Cas as he grimaced from the pain in his shoulder.

Cas nodded proudly.

“I’m not dead so I can assume you landed the plane safely?”

“Safely is subjective, but we are all alive and the plane should only need a few minor repairs.”

Dean looked at each of them as a wide smile spread across his face. He grabbed Cas by the hand and pulled him close, planting a kiss on his lips.

Sam and Bobby looked at one another and shrugged. “It’s about time,” Bobby muttered as he pulled Sam towards him for a sideways hug.

Dean looked over at Sam in surprise, “And how the hell are you here?”

Sam rolled his eyes, “It’s a long story. You’ve been out for two days and a lot has happened.”

Cas pulled Dean’s hair back from his forehead and smiled. “Dorothy and Charlie are fine too. Our plan worked.”

“It worked,” Dean said with a smile as he closed his eyes.

 

*****

 

Dean watched his younger brother as he placed a plate down in front of him. Sam had barely let Dean out of his sight since the accident and a permanent worry line seemed to be etched across his forehead. Cas and Bobby had gone to get more supplies in town and to help Jody with a few things, but Sam had been determined to stay with Dean. With his good arm, Dean grabbed at his brother’s wrist and stopped him as he began to turn around.

“Dude, Sammy, I’m fine. You can relax now.”

He watched as his brother took a deep breath and gave him a small smile. “I know. It’s just...things got pretty bad back there and then you almost died too.”

For the first time, it hit Dean how much pressure he’d put on his brother in order to help save everyone. It barely looked like it anymore, Sam had somehow shot up to barely taller than Dean and while he looked a lot like a kid with his mop of messy hair, he really wasn’t one anymore. It kind of took Dean’s breath away to realize that his kid brother had helped save the world.

Dean looked back at his brother and gave him a reassuring smile. “I know we’re not good at this, but I’ve been out for a few days. Think you could fill me in on what went down?” Sam sat down slowly, looking wary at his brother. “You can leave out the parts where you cried like a baby,” Dean said with a wink, and he knew it worked when he saw a small smile spread across Sam’s face again.

“You’re a jerk,” Sam said as he rolled his eyes.

Dean took a large bite of the sandwich in front of him and waved his hand at Sam to tell him to talk. Sam took a deep breath and sat forward, his shoulders sagging slightly.

“It was scary man. As soon as the information got out, people pretty much went nuts. It wasn’t all peaceful and quiet mobs of people like you’d expect from Celsphere,” Sam paused for a moment. “A lot of them got violent. On both sides.”

“Both sides?”

Sam raised his eyebrow at Dean. “Well of course there were people who didn’t give a crap about Terra.”

Dean shook his head, the concept to completely foreign to him.

“The turning point was Ezekiel turning himself in. It was broadcasted everywhere, on a non-stop loop to all devices and over the intercoms.”

“Why would he do that?” Dean asked, narrowing his eyes. It sounded like a shady deal, and it worried him more than he wanted to admit.

“That’s how I got here,” Sam said said with a shrug. “His condition was that I bring a prisoner to safety on Terra.”

Dean sat back in surprise. “And you did it?”

“What else was I supposed to do, Dean? You didn’t see it. The hallways were full of people and I thought Reina and I might not even make it out.”

Dean shrugged his shoulder in response. He hated the slight fear he heard in his brothers voice as he described the chaos on Celsphere.

“So that prisoner, where is he?”

“He’s free,” Sam said bluntly. “It was part of the deal, Dean. I wasn’t going to break my word.”

Dean kept his lips shut tight and nodded his head slowly. He didn’t have the best track record for actually listening to his brother without finding something to nit-pick about his decisions. He figured now wasn’t the best time to criticize him; not after what he went through. And after all, Dean told himself, it all turned out alright.

“So Zeke turned himself in, and then what?”

Sam shook his head. “You wouldn’t even believe it, man. They arrested him for treason against his own people and an immediate senate meeting was called.”

Dean scoffed, “The last time the senate met was what, years ago?”

“I know right. Well it was televised for everyone.” Sam ran a hand through his hear and let out a big sigh. “They are running things for now but all debates are made public until a new leader is elected.”

Dean let out a small whistle. “So how does that help people here though? I feel like I’m still missing something.”

Sam looked down and squirmed in his seat. “That’s actually something I’ve been meaning to tell you.”

Dean furrowed his eyebrows as he looked back at his brother, scrutinizing his expression.

“They want my help in making things better,” Sam paused, “well not just me of course, but people who know both Terra and Celsphere.”

“So you aren’t staying?”

Sam looked at his brother with a pained expression before he looked back down at the table. “Well, no, I wasn’t planning on it.”

Dean sat back and put down his food. It suddenly made sense, his brother’s reluctance to leave his side and the way he’d been unusually quiet around Dean. He’d been trying to come up with a way to let Dean down, to tell him they wouldn’t be seeing each other again for a long time after this. Dean frowned and looked back at his brother.

“Dean, it’s a good thing. I’m going to help change things.” Sam looked back at his brother and sat forward. “It means that Celsphere voted on open travel between there and here,” he said with excitement.

It was hard not to be skeptical and Dean narrowed his eyes at his naive younger brother. The excitement and sudden light in his eyes astounded him though and he broke into a gentle smile.

“It means we’re going to change all the stupid rules. Like you and Cas being together, shouldn’t that be allowed now?”

Dean coughed suddenly, started at Sam’s outright and easy statement, as if it hadn’t taken years for Dean to even acknowledge it himself. He looked back at his brother as he realized he’d missed part of what he’d said. Sam beamed as he described the laws he wanted to help change.

“Wait a minute, what about school?” Dean said sternly.

“Of course I’ll still be in school,” Sam replied smoothly with a smug grin.

“And that guy that Ezekiel pinned it all on...Meta-something?”

Sam rolled his eyes, “I think it’s safe to say Ezekiel seems to be telling the truth and not pinning anything on anyone. He’s in jail for his crimes anyway. But MetaTRON is still missing.” Sam shrugged his shoulders. “There’s a big investigation about it and all I know is that he’s not going to get away with it.”

“That sounds good to me, Sammy,” Dean said quietly as he watched his brother. He’d only been out for two days but it seemed like a lifetime. So much had happened in the past week that it made Dean’s head spin. He clamped his hand down on Sam’s shoulder and gave him a tight squeeze.


	23. No Place like Home

Dean pressed rewind for the third time and watched the first real news broadcast on Terra that he’d ever seen in his life. Only a few days had passed since he’d woken up and the world had been irreversibly changed. He shook his head as he thought about how it had all started.

“Hey, Cas, what’s that Lord of the Rings quote you love, about hobbits changing the world?”

Cas stepped out of his office and cocked his head to the side. “Even the smallest person can change the course of the future,” Cas offered.

Dean smiled as he looked over at Cas. “That’s the one.”

Dean turned to watch the television again as Cas stood beside him, one hand sliding gently around his waist. So much had happened in so few days and it made Dean’s head spin.

“So they really rioted, huh? All of Celsphere?”

Cas nodded as he watched the broadcast again. “I’m sure there were those who were against it, but yes, the majority were upset.” Cas paused as he watched the images on the screen. “Terra was everyone’s home at some point,” he said with a shrug.

“Home,” Dean murmured quietly to himself.

“I was surprised to hear that Ezekiel turned himself in,” Cas mused.

“He was a decent guy after all,” Dean replied with a small shrug. He winced slightly after moving his shoulder. “I can’t believe that douchebag Metatron hasn’t been caught yet though.”

Cas looked at Dean and narrowed his eyes. “Is your shoulder bothering you?” He walked over to the kitchen counter and pulled out a box of various supplies, digging through it carefully.

“I’m not taking medicine, Cas. It makes me really out of it and loopy.”

“You’re already loopy,” Cas said with a straight face.

“Well, you don’t want me even worse when we go in front of all those people today, do you?” Dean replied with a smirk as he ignored the throbbing pain that traveled down his arm. His sling itched and he longed to have use of both arms again, particularly after deciding to stay with Cas at his place while he healed.

Cas rolled his eyes and stomped back towards his bedroom. Dean walked over to the counter and inspected all the medical supplies. Sam had been obsessed with making sure Dean had all the proper medications; which wasn’t a problem since they’d saved Terra. Everyone was happy to donate to them.

“Do you like the blue or the red one?” Cas asked as he stepped out of his room holding two ties, his white shirt unbuttoned.

Dean looked at Cas and immediately replied, “The blue one.”

“You should get dressed too,” Cas replied. “We have to be there in an hour.”

Cas looped his tie around his neck and began to button his shirt carefully. Dean stepped forward and grabbed Cas’ tie, wrapping it around his hand as he pulled Cas close. “We can be a little bit late,” he said with a grin.

 

*****

 

“That wasn’t too bad, was it?” Bobby asked as he pressed a hand to Dean’s good shoulder. “You got a medal and everything.”

Dean grinned, “I survived.” He looked over at Cas who was talking to one of the guards from Celsphere. Dean smiled gently as he watched the easy way Cas commanded respect from others.

When he turned back to look at Bobby, his cheeks flushed red and he looked at the ground. They hadn’t had a chance to talk about the Cas thing or the kiss, and Dean had been avoiding it as much as possible.

“Dean, I don’t care who you’re with. S’long as they keep you in line and make you smile. Cas’ been doin’ that for you since you were kids.”

Dean looked down at the ground as a smile spread across his face. “Thanks, Bobby,” he paused, “And ya know, just remove that image of us from your mind.”

Bobby laughed, “You’re lucky Sam didn’t take a picture.”

Dean groaned loudly but he felt his embarrassment slip away as Bobby squeezed his shoulder gently. “I ain’t your daddy but I sure as hell feel like it. I’m damn proud of you, kid.”

Dean was sure that Bobby had tears in his eyes and maybe Dean did too, but he didn’t care. Either way, Bobby made an excuse to go grab a beer and Dean looked around at the crowded auditorium. He remembered the last time he’d been there for his graduation, several years ago, and how different his life was. He smiled when he saw Charlie give him a small wave and excuse herself from a group of people.

“We did it,” she said as she came up. Dean pulled her towards him and gave her a hug, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

“Thank you, Charlie. I couldn’t have done any of this without you.”

“I assume you’re gonna stay here?” she asked tentatively.

Dean looked back towards Cas. He hadn’t said anything to Cas yet, or to anyone besides Sam. The decision had been easier than he’d expected, which had been a whole new level of terrifying.

“Yeah, I’m gonna stay. This is my home.”

Charlie nodded, “I’m glad, cuz I’m pretty sure I have a new flying partner,” she said with a laugh.

“Dorothy’s pretty badass,” Dean said with a nod. “She took out how many prison guards?”

“Three,” Charlie said proudly. “The second we landed after surrendering, she jumped out and just, bam! She kicked some ass.”

Dean laughed, “Man, I would loved to have seen that.”

Charlie grinned and ran a hand through her hair. “Cas is pretty badass too, man. He saved your butt.”

Dean looked back over at Cas and nodded slowly. “He still hasn’t told me all of it. I think he was pretty shaken up about the whole thing.” Dean looked back at Charlie and grinned, “But I guess we have the time now.”

Charlie’s com system beeped and she looked down at her belt in surprise. “I always forget these work in short-range on Terra. You’ve got Sam working on some long-range com devices too right?”

“Of course,” Dean said with a bittersweet laugh. He knew Charlie would have to leave soon, which meant Sam too. Although he knew travel would soon be open to them, the thought still scared him.

Charlie stood on the tips of her toes and pressed a chaste kiss to cheek. “You take care, Winchester.”

“You too,” he said as she walked away. “Hey, Charlie,” he called out. “Keep an eye on Sam for me.”

She laughed and gave him one last salute before she left. “Roger.”

 

*****

 

Dean wasn’t sure if he’d gotten worse at goodbyes or if he’d somehow gone incredibly soft in the recent past. He figured it was a mixture of both.

“Sammy, make sure you study but also take lots of breaks. Have some fun, ya know?”

Sam rolled his eyes. “Dean, I’ve had enough excitement to last me a lifetime.”

Dean laughed and tried not to let his eyes mist up any further. “And dude, Reina. She’s way out of your league and you should probably step up your game with her.”

“Dean,” Sam whined. “What, are you going to tell me next that getting with your best friend is the most awesome thing?” he said with a smirk.

“Something like that,” Dean said stiffly. He wasn’t entirely comfortable discussing that fact that he was together with Cas, but it was the truth. Getting together with Cas had somehow been both the most difficult and easiest thing he’d ever done in his life, and his life had been changed for the better.

Dean grabbed Sam’s shoulder and pulled him in for a tight hug. “You take care, Sammy.”

“You too, Dean.”

 

*****

 

They walked back towards Cas’ house quietly. Dean’s dress shoes kicked at the gravel and he realized with relief that his carelessness wouldn’t mean he’d have to shine his shoes later. He smiled and felt Cas lace their fingers together.

“You stayed,” Cas said quietly with disbelief.

Dean stopped and looked at Cas as he gathered his courage. “I’ve been pretending I didn’t remember but the truth is, I remember the field. What I said to you.”

Cas’ eyes widened and the corners of his mouth turned up in a smile. “I don’t remember, Dean. What was it you said?”

Dean rolled his eyes and grabbed Cas’ hand, pulling him in for a deep kiss. “You’re a dick,” he whispered.

Cas pushed Dean away and tried to hide the large smile on his face, the one that reminded Dean of their childhood, Cas grinning widely with his nose wrinkled up.

“Anyway,” Dean said as they continued walking, “I just uh, wanted to let you know.” He paused and licked his lips, “I meant what I said.”

Cas slid their fingers together again. “I feel the same way.”

They stopped in front of the house and Dean realized he was experiencing all sorts of firsts. He’d stayed with Cas when Cas had been under the assumption that Dean would be leaving in a few days. Dean looked over at Cas nervously.

“I can go back home to Bobby’s, I don’t wanna overstay my welcome or anything,” Dean stammered.

“Dean, you are home,” Cas replied with a smile as he kissed Dean gently, their eyes fluttering closed. Dean could smell the ground beneath them and the wind blew gently against their cheeks as the sun began its descent from the sky.

“ _Home_.”

 

*****

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! This is part 1 in a trilogy that I hope to write in the near future.


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